Ceasefire between Israel, Islamic Jihad in Gaza takes effect

Gaza, May 14 (IANS) A ceasefire agreement, brokered by Egypt, between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip has come into effect following five days of violent fighting between the two sides.

Palestinian eyewitnesses said that the five-day tit-for-tat violent fighting between Israel and the PIJ militants stopped at 10:00 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), Xinhua news agency reported.

However, a few minutes after the ceasefire took effect, militants fired around 20 rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel. Israeli fighter jets fired back and targeted lookout posts and sites for Gaza militants. No injuries were reported.

Palestinian sources close to the PIJ told Xinhua that calm returned to the Gaza Strip after a short exchange of fire between the militants and the Israeli army.

Dozens of Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets and squares. Loudspeakers sounded in some mosques to celebrate the ceasefire agreement, while a procession was organized for medical teams, ambulance, civil defense and police teams.

On Saturday, an official in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (PIJ) announced that an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement had been reached between the movement and Israel in the Gaza Strip.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the ceasefire would come into effect at 10:00 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) and would end the five-day confrontation that started on Tuesday.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said 33 Palestinians were killed, including six children, three women and seven senior PIJ militants. More than 150 were injured in the past five days.

Muhammad al-Hindi, a senior PIJ leader, told Al-Qahera Al-Ikhbareya (Cairo News Television) that "this agreement was reached as a result of a continuation of the Egyptian effort."

"We appreciate this effort and deal with it very positively to make this agreement successful," he added.

Al-Hindi, who was part of the negotiations, said that "the ceasefire agreement includes stopping targeting civilians, homes, and individuals."

He noted, "We will abide by the ceasefire agreement as long as the Israeli enemy adheres to it."

Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), welcomed the agreement and the Israeli cessation of aerial strikes on the Gaza Strip, expressing his thanks to Egypt.

Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement on Saturday evening, expressing appreciation for Egypt's efforts to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and the PIJ.

On Tuesday predawn, Israeli unmanned drones and fighter jets carried out surprising and simultaneous airstrikes on several buildings, killing three senior members of PIJ armed wing in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday, PIJ militants fired hundreds of rockets at central and southern Israel, killing one Israeli and injuring more than nine, according to Israeli media outlets.

Over the past five days, Israeli fighter jets and unmanned drones attacked Palestinian operatives launching rockets at Israel. Israel targeted buildings, military sites, posts, and facilities that belong to the PIJ armed wing, Al-Quds Brigades.

Ashraf Al-Qedra, the spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said that since the Israeli aerial airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, 33 Palestinians were killed, and more than 140 were injured.

This is the worst wave of violence in the Strip, home to more than 2 million people, since August last year, when about 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli raids that lasted for three days.