TEL AVIV, March 9 (RIA Novosti) - Israel and armed Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have reached a ceasefire agreement, an Israeli website said on Sunday, referring to sources in the Palestinian enclave.

The agreement on the ceasefire came into effect this weekend, during which only one rocket was fired at Israel's southern towns, Ynet said.

In turn, Israel suspended army raids and air strikes on Gaza, which have claimed the lives of more than 120 Palestinians since late February, the website said.

"Throughout the weekend, and for the first time in many weeks, not a single army aircraft has been sighted over Gaza," Ynet quoted a Palestinian source as saying.

Meanwhile, representatives of armed Palestinian groupings in the Gaza Strip on Sunday confirmed the media reports that they were holding ceasefire talks with Israel.

However, representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad called as premature the reports that specific ceasefire accords had been reached.

Israel earlier said missile strikes and raids against militants in Gaza were carried out in an effort to halt Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel's southern cities and towns.