Palestinians bury their dead as ceasefire takes effect in Gaza Strip
Palestinian medical worker with children injured by Israeli air strikes in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on 14 November 2019
After two days of escalating violence in the Gaza Strip which has left at least 34 Palestinians dead, a ceasefire came into effect early on Thursday.
Musab al-Breem, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, told Middle East Eye that his movement had set conditions on accepting the ceasefire, which was mediated by Egypt and the UN, and that Israel had agreed on the conditions. Breem said: “The occupation surrendered to the conditions of the resistance.”
Khader Habib, a senior leader in the group told MEE that the deal had been brokered by Egypt and the United Nations and that Israel had agreed to immediately halt its attacks on Gaza, including air strikes and targeted killings, and cease to use live ammunition against protesters in the Palestinian enclave.
“The Palestinian resistance achieved a great victory as it had a pledge from Israel to stop its air strikes, assassinations and using live ammunition against Gaza protesters,” Habib said. “The Palestinian resistance caused much harm to the Israeli occupation. Israel had a lesson that targeting Palestinian leaders will have destructive consequences. The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt and the UN. They are the parties who are entitled to deal with any Israeli violations.” In return, Islamic Jihad had agreed to stop firing rockets into Israel.
The ceasefire, which entered into force at 5.30am (0330 GMT), came after the death toll from Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 34 since Tuesday after Palestinian officials said eight members of the same family had been killed.