US, Israel ink accord to stop flow of arms in Gaza

WASHINGTON: The United States and Israel signed an agreement Friday intended to assure that Hamas militants will not be able to rearm if the Jewish state agrees to a Gaza cease-fire.

In front of an array of reporters and camera crews, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni signed a "memorandum of understanding" to curb the smuggling of weapons into Gaza by boosting intelligence cooperation and border monitoring.

At the State Department ceremony, Livni described the deal as "a vital complement for a cessation of hostility" in the troubled region.

Livni said it could advance Israeli decision-making on the future of its offensive operations in Gaza. She added that it was meant "to complement Egyptian actions and to end of the flow of weapons to Gaza."