Israel has approved a preliminary text of an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. Now the Hamas militants must agree to this agreement, reports the Associated Press. International mediators have been working for weeks to reach an agreement to suspend hostilities before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10. The agreement is also likely to allow for the provision of aid to hundreds of thousands of residents in the northern Gaza Strip who are at risk of starvation due to the fighting. A senior US administration official told the Associat…