Tel Aviv/Gaza  - A unilateral ceasefire declared by Israel in the Gaza Strip was "fragile" and Israel would respond "without hesitation" if its troops in the salient were attacked, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday morning.

The premier made the comments at the weekly cabinet meeting, following attacks on Israeli forces, and rockets from the Strip at southern Israel, hours after the ceasefire went into effect at 00:00 GMT Sunday (2 am local time.)

"We have operational freedom to respond if terror organizations continue attacks," media reports quoted Olmert as saying.

Tel Aviv  - Israel will stop its fighting in the Gaza Strip at 00:00 GMT Sunday (2 am local time), Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Saturday night.

He said however that Israeli troops will remain in the Gaza Strip for the time being and would only leave once Israel was satisfied Hamas fire had ceased completely.

Tel Aviv  - Israel's cabinet approved Saturday night a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported.

Two ministers voted against the proposal and one abstained. (dpa)

Berlin/London  - Thousands of Europeans gathered in cities across the continent Saturday to protest the ongoing Israeli offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Aside from scuffles in the German cities of Kassel and Duisburg, where anti-Israeli protesters had to be separated from pro-Israeli demonstrators, very little violence was reported across the continent.

Most protests were focused either at national leaders - calling on them to lend diplomatic support to Mideast peace negotiations - or at the Israeli and US embassies in various cities.

Tel Aviv  - Israel's security cabinet was set to convene later Saturday evening in Tel Aviv to discuss the military campaign in the Gaza Strip and was leaning in the direction of announcing a unilateral ceasefire, two senior Israeli officials said.

The cabinet meeting was expected to be in depth and last for a couple of hours, after which Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak would have a press conference.

Berlin- Demonstrators attacked a pro-Israeli stand on Saturday during rallies in German cities against the war in Gaza.

The incident occurred in the northern city of Kassel, where hundreds of protesters marched through the streets calling for an end to the hostilities.

A small group of protesters tried to grab Israeli flags and posters from the stand, while other demonstrators egged them on. Police defused the situation and the march proceeded.

No violence was reported from two other rallies called by the Islamic communities in the northern ports of Hamburg and Kiel. More than 1,100 people took art in the protests, police said.