Gaza City, Gaza Strip -- A fragile ceasefire agreement to end nearly three days of fighting between Israeli and Palestinian militants in Gaza was announced Monday. It was done until morning. The recent streak of violence may have abated.
The flare-up is the worst fighting between militant groups in Israel and Gaza since Hamas rulers of Israel and Gaza fought an 11-day war last year, ending a blockade in years. added to the destruction and misery that has plagued Gaza.
Since Friday, Israeli aircraft have hit targets in Gaza while Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant groups have fired hundreds of rockets at Israel.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 44 Palestinians, including 15 children and 4 women, were killed and 311 wounded in the three days of fighting. Islamic Jihad said 12 of the dead were militants, and Israel said some of the dead were killed by rockets that failed.
Israel said on Monday it was partially resuming travel to Gaza due to humanitarian needs, and would fully reopen if calm prevailed. Gaza's lone power plant came back online on Monday after a fuel truck entered a freight crossing for the first time since the crossing with the Strip was closed last week. The shutdown caused fuel shortages and forced the plant to shut down on Saturday. Gaza suffers from a chronic power crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of Israeli lives were disrupted during the violence. Security precautions recently imposed on residents of southern Israel are being gradually lifted on Monday, the military said.
Both sides boasted of success. Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Sunday, Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Al-Nahra said the militant group remained in power despite the loss of two leaders. is a victory for Islamic Jihad," he said.
Despite its claims, the group undoubtedly took a hit during the Israeli offensive. Not only did she lose two leaders, but thanks to Israel's missile defense system that shot down most of her rockets, Israel fired hundreds of rockets without hitting a single one of her. Reduced weapons. Israel says its own rockets may have killed several Gazans.
The ceasefire agreement included a promise that Egypt would work on the release of her two senior Islamist jihad detainees held by Israel, but there was no assurance that this would come to fruition. I didn't. Fighting over the weekend is also likely to complicate the relationship between Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
A senior Israeli diplomat said the attack returned "decades" of Islamic Jihad capabilities. The rekindling was a "successful counter-terrorist operation" as Israel achieved its goals in a short period of time. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the surgery with the media. Because of this, it was eventually contained. Tightening its control over the coastal zone for the thousands of Gazans.
Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since the group seized control of his territory in 2007.
Israel launched operations Friday by attacking Islamic Jihad leaders, saying there was a "concrete threat." Anti-tank missile strikes against Israelis followed last week's arrest of another senior member of the Islamic Jihad in the West Bank. The arrest comes after months of Israeli raids in the West Bank to round up suspects in the wake of a spate of Palestinian attacks against Israel. killed the Islamic jihadist leader.
Israel said some of the deaths during this round had been attributed to militants' mistaken rockets, including one incident in the Jebariya refugee camp in northern Gaza on Saturday that killed six Palestinians. He said it was caused by artillery fire. On Sunday, two men were killed when a projectile hit a house in the same area of Jebaliyah. The Palestinians held Israel responsible, but Israel said it was investigating whether the area had been hit by a false rocket.
On Monday, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces opened the homes of two Palestinians suspected of carrying out a deadly attack on Israelis in the city of Erad in May. destroyed. Soldiers faced violent protests during the operation, the military said.
The eruption of riots in Gaza has been a significant test for Israel's interim prime minister, Yair Lapid, who has no experience directing military operations. Yet he launched his offense three months before the general election.
President Joe Biden said he welcomed a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based militants.
"During his 72 hours, the United States has been working with officials in Israel, Palestinian authorities, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and other regions to facilitate a speedy resolution of the conflict," he said. said. he said in a statement on Sunday.
The UN Security Council was scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on the riots on Monday. China, which presides over the Council this month, has scheduled sessions at the request of the United Arab Emirates, which represents Arab countries on the Council, as well as China, France, Ireland and Norway.
"Underscores its commitment to do all it can to end the ongoing escalation, ensure public safety and security, and follow up on the Palestinian Prisoner File," the United Nations said. Middle East Special Coordinator said. East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, in a statement.
The Israeli military said Gaza militants had fired about 1,100 rockets at Israel, of which about 200 landed within Palestinian enclaves. The military said its air defenses intercepted 380 of his planes, two of which were aimed at Jerusalem. The military did not specify what happened to the rest, but it is likely they fell into an open area or collapsed in midair.
Islamic Jihad fighters and supporters of Hamas and little is known about its weapons. Both groups call for the destruction of Israel, but they have different priorities and Hamas is constrained by its demands for governance.
Hamas had strong motives to avoid another war. Last year's Israeli-Hamas war was one of four major conflicts, and several smaller battles over the past 15 years have taken a toll on his 2.3 million Palestinians living in this impoverished region. caused serious damage.
Over the past year, Israel and Hamas have exchanged work permits and slightly relaxed border closures imposed by Israel and Egypt when Hamas seized territory 15 years ago. A tacit understanding was reached. Israel has issued her 12,000 work permits to the Gaza worker, and he expects to give another 2,000 permits.
———
Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Her AP writer Edith M. Lederer for the United Nations contributed to this report.
