Egypt-led ceasefire ends violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza

A WARY calm returned to Gaza and southern Israel yesterday after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire brought an end to hours of intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas.

Israeli jets struck targets throughout Gaza on Monday night, including the offices of the Islamist group’s leader, while Hamas and other Palestinian factions fired rockets at Israeli towns and cities.

No fatalities were reported on either side although several people were injured in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The escalation was sparked by Hamas firing a rocket that wounded several members of a British-israeli family on Monday morning.

At around 10pm on Monday, Egyptian mediators managed to broker a ceasefire between the two sides, as they have done during several other flare-ups of violence in recent months.

The ceasefire took several hours to take hold and airstrikes and rocket fire continued in the early hours of yesterday. However, by midmorning there was a tense peace. Palestinian children went to school in Gaza as usual but school was cancelled for Israeli children in several districts in the country’s south.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, cut short a trip to Washington to return to Israel to manage the situation. Mr Netanyahu was due to arrive in Israel in the afternoon and hold meetings with security chiefs. “We have responded very, very forcefully,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Hamas hailed Monday night’s violence as a victory for its cause.