Israel’s government and Gaza’s Hamas group agreed to a bilateral cease-fire on Thursday to stop nearly two weeks of fighting that has left hundreds dead and parts of the impoverished Gaza Strip reduced to rubble.
In a statement, the government said, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet agreed “to accept the Egyptian initiative for a bilateral cease-fire, which will take effect at a later date.”
The truce comes after international diplomatic efforts and growing pressure from the United States to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas since the 2014 war in Gaza.
Senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan told Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV channel that “we obtained guarantees from the mediators that the aggression on Gaza will stop.” The Egyptian government confirmed in a statement the time of the “mutual and simultaneous” cease-fire.
In remarks from the White House less than two hours before the cease-fire was set to take effect, US President Joe Biden said he had been in close contact with Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the hours leading up to the deal.
The State Department said on Thursday night, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the region “in the coming days” and will meet with Israeli, Palestinian, and regional counterparts.
Over 11 days of conflict, Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, fighters, and another 1,900 wounded, according to the Gaza health ministry.
[ad_2]
