(VOVworld) – The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday called on the Hamas movement and Israel to abide by the ceasefire initiative proposed by Egypt.

Smoke and flames are seen following what police said was an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip July 8, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

Speaking after a meeting with the visiting German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Ramallah, Mr. Abbas said the initiative was important to stop bloodshed in Gaza as well as disorder in the region. President Abbas and Palestinian Foreign Minister Reyad al-Maliki talked with Mr. Steinmeier about measures to stop the violence in Gaza. Steinmeier expressed his hope that Hamas would accept the ceasefire initiative as Israel had.

In another development, Israel’s cabinet on Tuesday accepted the ceasefire initiative. But Hamas ignored the proposal and continued firing rockets, causing Israel to resume its air strikes. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would launch further attacks on Gaza while the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the Jewish state needed to conclude attacks on Gaza by controlling the area. Lieberman expressed his hope that world leaders who put pressure on Israel to accept a ceasefire in Gaza would support Israel in its expanding military operation.