international

Israel-Gaza border quiet after Hamas announces ceasefire

[su_label type=”info”]SMA News – Agencies [/su_label][su_spacer size=”10″] The Israel-Gaza border fell quiet on Wednesday under a de facto ceasefire after the most intense flare-up of hostilities between Palestinian militants and Israel since a 2014 war.
Militants from Hamas, the dominant group in Gaza, and Islamic Jihad fired dozens of rockets and mortar bombs at southern Israel throughout Tuesday and overnight, to which Israel responded with tank and air strikes on more than 50 targets in the small, coastal enclave.
There were no reports of further attacks after Hamas announced early on Wednesday that it would cease fire if Israel did the same. Israel signaled it would halt its strikes if the rocket barrages stopped.
Hamas did not launch long-range rockets at Israel’s heartland, even as salvoes from Gaza interrupted daily life in small Israeli border communities. Israeli forces targeted encampments that appeared to have been vacated in anticipation of attack.
No deaths were reported by militant groups or by Israel, which said three of its soldiers were wounded by shrapnel from projectiles.
A Palestinian official said Egyptian mediation led to a ceasefire, and terms of the “understanding” did not go beyond “a restoration of calm by both sides”.
Hamas had largely abided by an Egyptian-brokered truce that ended the seven-week Gaza war four years ago.
In Israeli towns near the frontier, where rocket warning sirens sounded frequently on Tuesday, schools reopened on Wednesday morning. Gaza’s streets were filled with shoppers.
Israel stopped short of declaring any formal ceasefire with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which it, along with Western nations, regards as terrorist organizations, but said any resumption of Palestinian attacks would bring a stronger military response.
Hamas had largely abided by an Egyptian-brokered truce that ended the seven-week Gaza war four years ago.
In Israeli towns near the frontier, where rocket warning sirens sounded frequently on Tuesday, schools reopened on Wednesday morning. Gaza’s streets were filled with shoppers.
Israel stopped short of declaring any formal ceasefire with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which it, along with Western nations, regards as terrorist organizations, but said any resumption of Palestinian attacks would bring a stronger military response.

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