Egypt’s ruling military has decided to move up the date for the transfer of power to a civilian government to July first of next year.

The Associated Press said that the nation's political leaders announced the date after their five-hour crisis meeting with military rulers.

The generals also accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's government and agreed to form a "national salvation" Cabinet to replace it.

Tens of thousands of protesters who gathered at Tahrir Square in Cairo protested the agreement and demanded that military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and his council of generals immediately give up their power to a civilian government.