Israel, Hamas announce ceasefire — after 11 days of bloody clash

May 21, 2021 11:10 am

Israel and Hamas, an Islamic resistance group, have agreed to a ceasefire — bringing an end to 11 days of bloody clash.

The ceasefire came amid mounting global calls to stop the bloodshed.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, and mediation bids by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel’s security cabinet said it voted unanimously in favour of a “mutual and unconditional” Gaza truce.

Hamas, in a statement, also confirmed the “mutual and unconditional” ceasefire.

Abu Obeida, spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, said the group halted firing rockets at Israel in response to the ceasefire agreement.

“We had prepared strikes of rockets that cover all (Israel) from the city of Haifa in the north to Ramon in the south, but we responded to the ceasefire to watch the enemy’s behavior until 2:00 a.m.,” Obeida had said.

The ceasefire, which was brokered by Egypt, came into effect on Friday at 2am.

‘232 KILLED IN PALESTINE AND 12 IN ISRAEL’

The violent clash between Israel and Palestine followed weeks of rising tension.

The violence was triggered by an Israeli forces raid on protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem on May 10.

This followed a lawsuit to evict about six Palestinian families from their homes in the neighborhood. The Palestinians protested the eviction.

The Israeli army mounted a blockade around one of the holiest sites in Islam, where some of the protesters occupied which prompted Hamas to react by giving Israel a deadline to withdraw its forces from the holy site.

When the Israeli army failed to withdraw from the holy site, Hamas began firing rockets at Israel. Consequently, Israel retaliated by launching airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, were killed and more than 1,900 were injured since the violence erupted.

Israeli authorities said 12 Israelis, including two children, were killed and more than 100 injured by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at towns and cities in central and southern Israel.

‘MORE THAN 4000 ROCKETS FIRED INTO ISRAEL’

The Israeli army said, in the past 11 days, about 4,070 rockets were launched from Palestine’s Gaza Strip towards Israel.

Of the 4,07-00 rockets fired, it said 610 launches were unsuccessful and fell inside the Gaza Strip.

“As of 07.00 a.m. (04:00 GMT), since the start of Operation Guardian of the Walls, around 4,070 rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, of which 610 launches were unsuccessful, the rockets fell inside the Gaza Strip,” the army said.