Hamas accepts Gaza truce proposal as Israel urges Rafah evacuation

Hamas on Monday said it had accepted a proposal for a truce in the seven-month-old war in Gaza, after Israel told Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate ahead of a long-threatened invasion of the city.The Hamas announcement brought cheering crowds onto the street amid tears of happiness, chants of “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) and celebratory shooting in the air.There was no immediate official response from Israel, and its close ally the United States said it was “reviewing” Hamas’s response.Hamas in a statement said that its leader Ismail Haniyeh had informed mediators Qatar and Egypt “of…