UpdateIslamic Jihad has agreed to a ceasefire to rest weapons in the Gaza Strip. The file was proposed by Egyptian mediators. Israel had previously agreed to the proposal.
The practical details of the agreement are not yet known, although it seems the intention is that the weapons should be silenced from 9 p.m. There have been several air strikes on Gaza in recent hours. According to Hamas, the militant group that rules in the area, five people (including four children) were killed. The missile alarm also went off in the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv.
Islamic Jihad hopes the pledge will ensure the release of two detainees: Bassem Saadi, a top executive of the Palestinian group arrested this week in the West Bank city of Jenin, and Khaled Awawdeh.
Egypt has been attempting since Friday to mediate in the conflict and “return to calm”. The country has traditionally been an important mediator between Israel and the armed groups in Gaza.
In recent days, Israeli authorities have stepped up attacks in the Gaza Strip. They justify the attacks “for fear of retaliation” after Saadi’s arrest. As of Friday, 43 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Islamic Jihad responds to attacks with hundreds of rockets on cities in Israel. According to the Israeli army, almost all of these are intercepted with the so-called ‘Iron Dome’. No deaths or injuries have been reported on the Israeli side so far.
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