Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have settled to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. It is slated to come into effect on Friday. It concludes 11 days of bombardment wherein 240 people have died, with the majority in Gaza.
Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Brokered by Egypt
A senior Qatar-based Hamas official confirmed that the group had agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Egypt. The ceasefire commenced at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Eastern United States and 2 a.m. on Friday in Egypt. Egypt's government confirmed the timing of the settlement.
Two hundred thirty Palestinians and 12 Israelis were killed. The truce arrived one day after the US pressured Israel to end its onslaught on the Hamas-dominated Gaza Strip. US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he expected a major de-escalation on the path to a truce on Wednesday.
According to Netanyahu's office in a statement, the Israeli cabinet agreed to accept the Egyptian initiative for a bilateral ceasefire with no conditions. Hamas reportedly fired rockets aimlessly into Israeli civilian areas, reported USA Today.
According to sources familiar with ceasefire talks, Israel has also informed Egyptian mediators it will agree to end military action. Both sides faced global pressure to end hostilities, reported BBC.
Upon Netanyahu's office announcing the truce, a security cabinet statement called it "mutual and unconditional." Mediation bids came from Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations.
The call between Biden and Netanyahu was their fourth conversation since hostility erupted last week between Israel and Hamas. The tenor from Washington toward Tel Aviv has become increasingly impatient in the past few days. The death toll in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes included over 100 women and children.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, "The Security Cabinet convened this evening. And accepted unanimously the recommendation of all security elements -- the Chief of Staff, the head of the Shin Bet, the Head of the Mossad, and the head of the National Security Council -- to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual unconditional ceasefire that will go into effect at an hour to be agreed upon later," reported CNN.
One hour following the Israeli government's announcement, Taher Al-Nono, the political adviser to the head of the political bureau of Hamas, released a statement indicating they had agreed to a truce so long as Israel adheres to the same conditions. The spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stated if Israel initiated an attack on Gaza before 3 a.m., the militant group would be ready to retaliate by launching rockets.
Over 100 Israeli airstrikes on Thursday targeted Hamas infrastructure in Gaza's north. Hamas fought back with rocket fire.
Netanyahu's office declared his security cabinet had deliberated unanimously to accept the Egyptian proposal. However, it cautioned the reality on the ground will conclude the progression of the campaign.
Related Article: Joe Biden Expresses Support for Cease-Fire Between Israel, Gaza, but Did Not Call for an Immediate End of Violence
