Associated Press
Israeli soldiers take cover under armored vehicles near the Israeli-Gaza border as a siren warns of incoming rockets. A cease-fire in the 11-day war took effect early this morning.
Associated Press
On Thursday in Ashkelon, Israel, a technician removes an unexploded missile fired from the Gaza Strip that landed on the top floor of a high-rise apartment building. Previous Next
Friday, May 21, 2021 1:00 am
Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire
Both sides see end to bloody, destructive 11-day war as victory
Associated Press
JERUSALEM – Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead.
Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fightingÂ
May 21, 2021 | 12:41 pm
REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM
GAZA/JERUSALEM â An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, but Hamas warned it still had its âhands on the triggerâ and demanded Israel end the violence in Jerusalem and address the damages in Gaza Strip after the worst fighting in years.Â
US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., pledged to salve the devastated Gaza. Aerial bombardment of the densely populated area killed 232 Palestinians, while rocket attacks killed 12 people in Israel during the conflict.Â
Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gazaâs streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted âthe victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel).âÂ
Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead.
At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzy life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting “Allahu Akbar” or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce.
Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant group’s nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon.
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GAZA/JERUSALEM An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years.
Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gaza’s streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel).”
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In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) ceasefire, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike.