Ceasefire holds through the night
As restrictions are lifted, life slowly returns to normal in southern Israel, Gaza Strip
A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad held through the night after it was initially violated by the Gaza-based terror group.
The truce follows three days of heavy fire exchange between the Israel Defense Forces and PIJ which fired about 1,100 rockets at Israel ranging from communities just over the border to the Tel Aviv area. About 200 of PIJ rockets malfunctioned and landed in the Gaza Strip killing Palestinians, the IDF said.
No Israelis were killed, but dozens were treated for anxiety and injuries sustained when running to bomb shelters. In its own assessment, the IDF said it believes 51 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during the most recent round of fighting – 24 of them PIJ militants – and many by PIJ's errant rockets.
“More Palestinians were killed by the failed firing by Islamic Jihad than by the firing of the IDF,” IDF Spokesperson Ran Kochav said.
The IDF said it struck some PIJ 170 targets and killed senior officials and the terror group's activists.
Last year, during an 11-day war between Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Israel, some 4,300 rockets were launched at the Jewish state.
The ceasefire went into effect at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday but another few rounds of rockets were launched at Israel eight minutes afterwards. Nevertheless, it lasted until now.
This brings the 66-hour Operation Breaking Dawn to an official end. The IDF is slowly winding back restrictions in the South and life is getting back to normal.
Egypt mediated the ceasefire efforts, which does not include the release of two high-profile PIJ members, according to Israel's Internal Security Minister Omer Barlev.
“Israel did not agree to anything, we responded negatively to the demands,” Barlev said in an interview with Kan public broadcaster.
This morning, the Erez Crossing – damaged yesterday by an errant PIJ mortar – was reopened for humanitarian aid and for journalists.
Nicole Jansezian was the news editor and senior correspondent for ALL ISRAEL NEWS.
