Israel and Hamas declare 72-hour truce

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Israel and Hamas started a 72-hour ceasefire on Friday. The pause in hostilities was the work of the United Nations and the USA. The truce will let Gazans restock on food and medicines. They also need to repair power stations destroyed in the fighting. Israelis and Palestinians will also meet in Egypt to talk about a permanent truce. They will talk about resolving the big differences that have caused unrest for decades.

Hamas said it would follow the ceasefire. It said the situation of Palestinians made all "resistance factions" agree to "mutual calm". He said Israel must also follow it. On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister said his country would continue to destroy tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border. The USA called the ceasefire "precious time." They said it was an important "moment" for the Palestinians and Israel to come together and talk.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/28596609
http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Hamas-agrees-to-72-hour-truce-announced-by-the-US-and-UN-369675
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/un-us-announce-72-hour-gaza-ceasefire-2014731214037997737.html

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	started a 72-	a.	truce
2.	The pause in	b.	for decades
3.	repair power stations	c.	differences
4.	talk about a permanent	d.	hour ceasefire
5.	resolving the big	e.	destroyed in the fighting
6.	caused unrest	f.	hostilities

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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	Hamas said it would	a.	calm
2.	resistance	b.	"precious time"
3.	mutual	c.	and talk
4.	tunnels under the	d.	follow the ceasefire
5.	The USA called the ceasefire	e.	Gaza-Israel border
6.	come together	f.	factions

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Israel and Hamas started a 72-(1) ___________________ Friday. The pause in hostilities (2) ___________________ United Nations and the USA. The truce will let Gazans restock (3) ___________________. They also need to repair power stations (4) ___________________. Israelis and Palestinians will also meet in Egypt to talk about (5) ___________________. They will talk about resolving the big differences that (6) ___________________ for decades.

Hamas said it would (7) ___________________. It said the situation of Palestinians made all "resistance factions" agree (8) ___________________. He said Israel (9) ___________________. On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister said his country would continue to (10) ___________________ the Gaza-Israel border. The USA called the ceasefire "precious time". They said it was (11) ___________________ for the Palestinians and Israel to (12) ___________________ talk.

GAZA SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Gaza in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about Gaza for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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