1 of 1 Smoke rises after Israeli attacks in Gaza, May 10, 2023. Photo: Portal/Mohammed Salem Smoke rises after Israeli attacks in Gaza, May 10, 2023. Photo: Portal/Mohammed Salem
Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in an Egyptianbrokered agreement, which began this Saturday (13) at 10:00 p.m. local time and 4:00 p.m. Brazilian time.
Israel’s National Security Advisor Tzahi Hanegbi thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah alSisi on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and expressed Israel’s appreciation for “Egypt’s vigorous efforts to reach a ceasefire,” the prime minister’s office said.
Hanegbi clarified that “silence is answered with silence. If Israel is attacked or threatened, it will continue to do whatever is necessary to defend itself.”
Similar stance to Islamic Jihad in confirming ceasefire. “We declare that we accept the Egyptian agreement and will abide by it as long as Israel respects it,” said group spokesman Dawoud Shehab. An Egyptian official also confirmed the ceasefire to the BBC.
“Given the agreement reached between Palestinians and Israelis, Egypt announces that a ceasefire has been reached,” reads a text of the ceasefire agreement seen by Portal.
“Both sides will respect the ceasefire, which includes an end to attacks on civilians, demolitions of homes and an end to attacks on individuals once the ceasefire comes into effect,” the text also reads.
Before the deal, more attacks erupted in the region on Saturday. Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians and wounded three others in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the Israeli attack occurred in the Balata refugee camp near the city of Nablus in the north of the West Bank.
Israel fires rockets at Gaza
Tensions between Palestinians and Israelis have increased in recent days and hundreds of rockets have been fired from both areas.
Egypt has been trying to negotiate a ceasefire since the recent spate of violence in the region intensified, which has so far killed at least 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel and wounded 147. At least six children are among the dead.