Gaza: ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel

The agreement comes after a day of violence that killed an Israeli soldier and four Palestinians.
  

The specter of a new war is fading away. Hamas announced early Saturday that it has reached a ceasefire agreement with Israel. "Thanks to the efforts of Egypt and the United Nations, we have reached an agreement to return to the state of calm that preceded the (Israeli) occupation and the Palestinian factions," he said. speech of the movement, Fawzi Barhoum, in a statement.

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On Saturday morning, the agreement seemed respected in the Gaza Strip. No Israeli airstrikes or rocket fire into southern Israel from Gaza were reported after the ceasefire came into effect shortly after midnight Friday, Israeli and Palestinian sources said. Israeli politicians and military officials, however, refused on Saturday to confirm a ceasefire had been reached, while saying that "total calm" has prevailed for hours on the ground.

Renewed tensions Friday

This ceasefire comes after a day on Friday when the Israeli army massively bombed the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the death of an Israeli soldier killed by Palestinian gunfire. This is the first Israeli soldier killed near Gaza since the war between Israel and Hamas in 2014 that controls this Palestinian territory.

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This escalation of violence also claimed the lives of four Palestinians. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, two Palestinians were killed near Khan Younis in the southern enclave by Israeli strikes against a Hamas observation post. A third died in a bombing raid in Rafah and a fourth was killed by Israeli gunfire near the border area east of Gaza City.

149 Palestinians killed since March

Last week, after a major confrontation between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement had already announced a ceasefire concluded with Egyptian mediation. Israel had also refused to confirm the agreement, while putting an end to its attacks. According to Israeli public radio, this silence is due to the Israeli government's desire not to give the impression that it is negotiating with Hamas, considered a "terrorist" organization, although indirect discussions are taking place by the government. through Egypt and the United Nations.

Since March 30, Palestinians have been demonstrating regularly in the border area to denounce the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza and demand the return of Palestinian refugees who fled or fled their lands in 1948 when the state was created. Israel. At least 149 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza since then.