MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow welcomes an agreement reached between Israel and Palestine on ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its Web site Sunday.

The Israeli troops conducted an operation in the Gaza Strip during the last few weeks to prevent Palestinian rocket fire on Israel. Dozens of people were killed in the course of the operation.

"According to reports, the heads of Israel and the Palestinian National Administration reached a ceasefire agreement. Under the agreement, Israel will cease combat operations at 6 a.m. November 26 and pull its forces out of Gaza. At the same time, the Palestinian side undertakes to prevent rocket attacks on Israel," the ministry said.

The parties are on the whole abiding by the agreement, "although the firing of rockets on Israel this morning causes concern and condemnation," the ministry said.

Moscow believes the ceasefire is called upon to be the first step towards normalizing the situation and a prologue for restoring the Palestinian-Israeli peace process in the interests of a comprehensive political settlement and the establishment of a lasting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the ministry said.