An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement came into effect early on Friday at 2:00 a.m. Palestinian time between Israel and militant groups led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
As soon as it turned 2:00, loudspeakers of the mosques all over the Gaza Strip shouted Allahu Akbar (God is great) celebrating the end of more than 11 days of tit-for-tat trade of fire between Israel and Hamas-led militants in the Gaza Strip.
Militants fired into the air, while tens of thousands of people took to the streets, while whistling and shouting Allahu Akbar.
Earlier on Thursday, Hamas armed wing announced that it halted firing rockets in response to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire reached with Israel.
Qatar, the United Nations (UN) and other countries joined the mediation.
Spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, said in a short recorded speech aired on the movement’s Al-Aqsa Television that Hamas militants 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 behaviour until 2:00 a.m.,” said spokesman Abu Obeida.
He added that “starting the rockets strikes depends on the behaviour of the enemy (Israel) of totally halting its aggression on our people in the Gaza Strip.”
Abu Obeida also said that “the leaders of the occupation (Israel) are under a real test and the decision to resume the rockets strikes on all Israel is on the table.”
Earlier on Thursday, several Hamas leaders announced that the Egyptian mediator informed the movement that a ceasefire was reached with Israel and it will come into effect at 2:00 a.m. Jerusalem time.
Over the past 11 days of tension between Israel and Hamas-led militant groups in the Gaza Strip, Israeli fighter jets carried out hundreds of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, and the militants fired hundreds of rockets at Israel.
Israel said that 12 Israelis were killed and more than 100 injured by the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at towns and cities in central and southern Israel.
On Thursday, the health ministry in Gaza said that 232 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children, 39 women and 17 elderly, adding that 1,900 were injured in the last 11 days of Israeli-Palestinian tension in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden has applauded the ceasefire agreement and emphasised the U.S. will continue to support Israel militarily.
Biden said in remarks at the White House in Washington, DC as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal by Egypt to take effect early Friday in Gaza.
“The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups that have taken the lives of innocent civilians.
“These hostilities have resulted in tragic deaths of so many civilians, including children, and I send my sincere condolences to all the families, Israeli and Palestinian, who have lost loved ones,” he said.
Earlier in a telephone call with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, Biden said he “commended” the Israelis for bringing the immediate conflict to an end after 11 days and assured Netanyahu of continuing U.S. military support.
Biden said he had spoken with Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as part of an “intense diplomatic engagement”.
The U.S. leader said he thanked the Egyptians for their role in brokering the agreement.
Biden said the U.S. would work with the UN and other international organisations to “provide rapid humanitarian assistance” for the people of Gaza.
“We will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal.
“I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,’’ he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet voted on Thursday in favour of halting their military activity in the Gaza Strip, as the Palestinian militant group Hamas agrees to a “mutual and simultaneous” cease-fire, according to reports.
News of the impending cease-fire came after mounting international pressure for an end to the violence between both sides.
