Palestinian officials said that a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, was reached between Israel and terrorist groups on May 6 at 4:30 a.m. local time to end a recent surge of violence in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip. But no official confirmation of such a ceasefire deal has come from Israel nor its military.
Israel has been at the receiving end of more than 600 rockets since May 3 by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) from the Gaza Strip.
A second Palestinian official confirmed that a deal had reached, as well as a TV station belonging to the Hamas terrorist group, according to Reuters.
Despite ceasefire reports, Israeli authorities have decided to keep schools in southern Israel—within a 40-kilometer (25-mile) radius of Gaza—closed for the day, according to The Times of Israel.
An Islamic Jihad official told news source AFP that the ceasefire was based on Israel easing restrictions on the Gaza strip, including easing limits on fishing and improvements in Gaza’s electricity and fuel situation.
Israel said its blockade is necessary to stop weapons from reaching Hamas, with which it has fought three wars since the group seized control of Gaza in 2007, two years after Israel withdrew its settlers and troops from the area.
The Times of Israel reported that shortly after midnight on May 6, terrorist groups threatened more fighting unless Israel succumbed to their demands and acknowledged the understanding reached.
“The battle will not end until the occupation responds affirmatively to our people’s demands,” the Joint Command Center of Armed Palestinian factions in Gaza said in a statement early May 6. “We will not allow the settlers to leave their shelters as long as the enemy’s leadership denies its understandings with the resistance.”
More than 600 Rockets
Israel’s military, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said that more than 600 rockets and other projectiles had been fired at southern Israeli cities and villages since May 3. More than 150 of them were intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile system. IDF said it had fired at about 320 targets in the Gaza Strip belonging to various terrorist groups.Four Israeli civilians have been killed since the rocket attacks began on May 3.
Air strikes directed at Hamas and extremist facilities from Israel’s military in response to the barrage of rockets have killed 19 Palestinians, more than half of whom have been civilians, according to Reuters.
Egypt and the United Nations, which have served as brokers in the past, had been trying to mediate a truce.
On May 5, U.S. President Donald Trump posted words in support of Israel.
“Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad,“ he wrote. ”We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens.”
Trump also wrote a message on Twitter to those living in Gaza.
“To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery,” he wrote. “END the violence and work towards peace - it can happen!”
Vice President Mike Pence wrote in a tweet, “We strongly condemn the attacks in Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Israel has the absolute right to defend itself & the U.S. stands by our great ally Israel.”
