Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fighting
But both sides say they'll retaliate if ceasefire is violated; Egypt sending in monitors
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Palestinians celebrating in the streets following a ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip yesterday. The violence erupted on May 10, triggered by Palestinians' anger at what they saw as Israeli curbs on their rights in Jerusalem, including during police confrontations with protesters at Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Ramadan fasting month.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
GAZA/JERUSALEM • A truce between Israel and Hamas took hold yesterday after the worst violence in years, with United States President Joe Biden pledging to salvage the devastated Gaza Strip and the United Nations urging renewed Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.
Israeli aerial bombardment of the densely populated enclave killed 243 Palestinians, including 66 children, wounded more than 1,900 and damaged critical infrastructure and thousands of homes.
In Israel, 12 people were killed and hundreds injured in rocket attacks that caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters.
Palestinians who had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling poured into Gaza's streets, embracing one another in celebration in front of bombed-out buildings on streets covered in wreckage.
Mosque loudspeakers feted "the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel)".
Cars driving around East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah at dawn flew Palestinian flags and honked horns, echoing the scenes in Gaza.
In the countdown to the 2am truce, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike.
Each side said it was ready to retaliate for any ceasefire violations by the other.
Egypt said it would send two delegations to monitor the ceasefire it had mediated.
The violence erupted on May 10, triggered by Palestinians' anger at what they saw as Israeli curbs on their rights in Jerusalem, including during police confrontations with protesters at Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Ramadan fasting month.
The fighting meant many Palestinians in Gaza could not mark the Eid al-Fitr festival at the end of Ramadan. Yesterday, postponed Eid meals were held throughout Gaza.
In Israel, radio stations that had carried round-the-clock news and commentary switched back to pop music and folk songs.
Meanwhile, Israeli police yesterday fired stun grenades towards Palestinians who threw rocks and petrol bombs at officers outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, just hours after the truce was reached.
The ceasefire was brokered after Mr Biden, amid growing global alarm, had urged Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, while Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations sought to mediate.
In a televised address on Thursday, Mr Biden extended condolences to bereaved Israelis and Palestinians and said Washington would work with the UN "and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance" for Gaza and its reconstruction.
The European Union welcomed the ceasefire and insisted that working towards a "two-state solution" was the only viable option.
"We are appalled and regret the loss of life over these past 11 days," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement. "As the EU has consistently reiterated, the situation in the Gaza Strip has long been unsustainable."
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said while Moscow was satisfied with the truce, more needed to be done.
Britain called on all sides to the conflict to ensure the truce is lasting.
"All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted, adding that Britain supports "efforts to bring about peace".
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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