Israel and Gaza agree ceasefire after 27 die

ISRAEL and Gaza slipped into a fragile peace yesterday after a bloody weekend of violence left dozens dead.

The Israeli military lifted restrictions on residents’ movements in southern Israel, while the Hamas militant group’s radio station in Gaza reported a ceasefire.

The escalation, which began on Saturday, killed 23 militants and civilians in Gaza; four Israeli civilians also died from incoming fire. It was the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war.

There was no official ceasefire announcement from either side, but intense fighting over the past two days appeared to come to a sudden halt early yesterday and residents on both sides went back to their daily routines. The Israeli military said that as of 7am local time ‘all protective restrictions will be lifted’.

Fighting began when hundreds of rockets were fired into Israel, which responded with airstrikes on some 250 targets.