Hamas on Thursday agreed to join a temporary Gaza ceasefire requested by the United Nations on humanitarian grounds. "The group agrees to a ceasefire for five hours," starting from 10:00 am (0700 GMT) Thursday, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zukhri said in a statement. Earlier the Israeli military said it had accepted a UN request to halt its attacks on the Gaza Strip in what a senior United Nations official called a "humanitarian pause". "Between 10:00 and 15:00 (0700-1200 GMT), the Israel Defence Forces will cease operational activity within the Gaza Strip and hold its fire," an army statement said.