Hamas says will abide by three-day Gaza truce to begin on Friday

GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas, the dominant militant group in the Gaza Strip, said it would abide by a three-day mutual ceasefire with Israel to begin early on Friday. "Acknowledging a call by the United Nations and in consideration of the situation of our people, resistance factions agreed to a 72-hour humanitarian and mutual calm that begins at 8 a.m (1.00 a.m. EDT) on Friday as long as the other side abides by it," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. "All the Palestinian factions are united behind the issue in this regard," Abu Zuhri said. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, editing by G Crosse)