Israel and the Islamic Hamas movement who rules the Gaza Strip Wednesday night reached an Egypt-brokered understanding to restore calmness following a three-day violence in the coastal enclave which had killed nine Palestinians.

A well-informed Palestinian source revealed on Wednesday night that an understanding to restore calmness between Gaza militant groups lead by Hamas and Israel will be valid starting from midnight.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the Palestinian factions, mainly the Islamic Hamas movement informed Egyptian intelligence services officials that they accept a mutual calmness with Israel.

The source added Israel has also informed Egypt that it doesn't wish for escalation, and that it would halt its airtsrikes on the coastal enclave as soon as militants stop launching rockets at its southern territories.

"I believe that the two sides are interested in calmness because both want to stop tension and avoid more escalation," said the source close to Hamas. Israel has yet to make a comment to the understanding.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas armed wing, earlier said in a leaflet emailed to reporters that the Palestinian factions, in accordance to Egyptian efforts, will be committed to end this new round of confrontation with Israel, only if the latter is committed to stop military escalations.

Well-informed sources had told Xinhua that the Egyptians began early on Wednesday to hold contacts with both sides for the understanding. It is not the first time that Egypt mediates such kind of agreement between the two.

However, right after the declaration of reaching the understanding on calmness, Israeli war jets hovered over the coastal enclave and bombarded two sites belonging to the Hamas rule, while al-Qassam Brigades responded with another barrage of rockets on Israel.