Palestinians and supporters of the Islamic Jihad militant group celebrate in the street after Palestenian factions and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza City on May 13, 2023.
After five days of fierce warfare in which 33 Palestinians lost their lives, Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip agreed to a ceasefire reached through the Egyptian government.
According to New York Post, Egypt declared a ceasefire to go into effect at 10:00 PM on Saturday, May 13, but a last flurry of rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes continued for several minutes beyond that time. Israel claimed that it was once again attacking Gaza in response to incoming fire. But order seemed to be restored soon.
How Long Will the Truce Hold?
The ceasefire brought temporary relief to the more than 2 million residents of the Gaza Strip and the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who had been forced to seek refuge in bomb shelters in recent days. However, it did nothing to resolve the underlying issues that have stoked many previous outbreaks of violence between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.
Tareq Selmi, a spokesperson for Islamic Jihad in Gaza, said that Israel has agreed to stop its tactic of targeting the group's leaders with airstrikes. He told AP News, "Any stupidity or assassination by the occupation will be met with a response and the Zionist enemy bears the responsibility."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security advisor Tzachi Nanegbi issued a statement praising Egypt for its negotiation efforts and promising that Israel would do everything it takes to protect itself, including maintaining a policy of silence.
When Israel stages a controversial march through a main Palestinian route in Jerusalem's Old City next week, tensions will reportedly rise again rapidly.
The ceasefire has not completely quieted the situation in Gaza, but the thundering whooshes of outgoing rockets and booms of Israeli aircraft have been replaced by the honking of motorists.
After days of silence, streets filled with people waving Palestinian flags and flashing triumph signs from racing automobiles as the truce took effect.
Aftermath of the Recent Turmoil
Three top Islamic Jihad leaders were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday, May 9, sparking the latest round of unrest. Israel has claimed that its assaults have been directed at Islamic Jihad locations in retaliation for a recent barrage of rocket fire.
Nevertheless, locals in Gaza said that civilians' houses had also been hit in the conflict.
The first attacks, which received regional outrage, resulted in the deaths of at least 10 bystanders. These include women, children, and uninvolved neighbors.
Israel has continued its attacks over the previous three days, killing additional top Islamic Jihad leaders and damaging their headquarters and missile launch pads.
Over 1,200 rocket and mortar attacks were recorded by Israel throughout the conflict, with some reaching as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. According to Israeli estimates, over a quarter of the missiles accidentally entered Gaza rather than being intercepted.
A Palestinian worker inside Israel, age 80, and an Israeli lady were murdered by rocket fire. Three individuals, including two children, were killed by stray missiles in Gaza, as claimed by a Palestinian human rights organization.
