Tensions high as Gaza truce holds
GAZA CITY: A “fragile” Egyptbrokered truce between Israel and Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza appeared to be holding on Monday, raising hopes that the recent intense conflict that has left at least 44 Palestinians dead, including 15 children, has ended.
The truce, which officially started at 11.30pm on Sunday night (local time), aims to stem the worst fighting in Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the Palestinian coastal territory.
Although a flurry of strikes and rocket attacks took place in the run-up to the truce, with sirens sounding in southern Israel moments before and after the deadline, neither side had reported any major violations of the agreement after four hours.
In a statement sent three minutes after the ceasefire began, Israel’s army said that “in response to rockets fired toward Israeli territory, the (military) is currently striking a wide range of targets” belonging to Islamic Jihad in Gaza. In a subsequent statement, the army clarified that its “last” strikes took place at 11.25pm.
While both sides had agreed to the truce, each had warned the other that it would respond with force to any violence.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire, thanking Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his country’s role in brokering it. Mr Biden also called for investigations into civilian casualties, which he called a “tragedy”.
UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: “The situation is still very fragile, and I urge all parties to observe the ceasefire”.
Since Friday, Israel has carried out heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of Islamic Jihad positions in Gaza, with the militants firing hundreds of rockets in retaliation.
Buildings in Gaza have been reduced to rubble, while Israelis have been forced to shelter from the barrage of rockets.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office thanked “Egypt for its efforts” as it agreed to the truce, but said it that “if the ceasefire is violated”, Israel “maintains the right to respond strongly”.
Islamic Jihad member Mohammad al-Hindi had already confirmed the militants had accepted the truce, but the group said in a statement that it too “reserves the right to respond” to aggression.
In addition to the 44 people killed, 15 of them children, the Gaza health ministry said 360 people had been wounded in the Palestinian enclave, which is run by the Islamist group Hamas.
Israel insists several children in the territory were killed by stray militant rockets.
Three people in Israel have been wounded by shrapnel, while 31 others have been lightly hurt, emergency services said.
Islamic Jihad’s Hindi said the ceasefire deal “contains Egypt’s commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners”. The pair were named as Bassem al-Saadi, a senior figure in the group’s political wing who was recently arrested in the occupied West Bank, and Khalil Awawdeh, a militant also in Israeli detention.
Gaza resident Nour Abu Sultan had said earlier Sunday that she was “awaiting the declaration of the ceasefire on tenterhooks”.
“We haven’t slept for days (due to) shelling,” she said.