Gaza and Israel: The Israeli government confirms the approval of a ceasefire

May 20, 2021

(See Translation in Arabic Section)

"The Political Security Council unanimously agreed to the recommendation of all security elements, the chief of staff, the head of the internal security apparatus, the head of the Mossad, and the head of the National Security Council, to accept the Egyptian initiative for an unconditional mutual ceasefire, which will come into force at a later time."

While Israel confirmed the ceasefire, the Israel Defence Forces said that sirens were sounded in southern Israel, indicating that rockets were fired from Gaza.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media in Gaza reported new air strikes on the Strip.

The Israeli government had announced its agreement, earlier, to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but did not specify the date for the truce.

The government stated in a statement that the truce is from Egypt's proposal, and that it will be "joint and unconditional."

Earlier, a Hamas official said that the truce would begin at 2am local time (11pm GMT).

The fighting in Gaza began on May 10, after weeks of escalating Israeli-Palestinian tension in occupied East Jerusalem, which culminated in clashes in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Hamas began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, prompting retaliatory air strikes.

About 232 people have been killed in Gaza so far, including more than 100 women and children, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

Israel said that the dead in Gaza included at least 150 militants, and Hamas did not give figures indicating the size of the fighters' losses.

Israeli medical services say 12 people, including two children, have been killed in Israel.

Israel says that the factions in Gaza fired about 4,000 rockets at its territory.

Ali Baraka, a Hamas official, told The Associated Press that the ceasefire declared by Israel amounts to a "victory" for the Palestinian people and a defeat for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He added that Hamas activists will remain on alert until the mediators continue to finalize the details of the truce.

Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations played major roles in mediating during the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which is in power in Gaza.

A former US envoy to the Middle East warned that any ceasefire could not last as long as Hamas had missiles.

Dennis Ross, who held the position under former US President Bill Clinton, told the Jerusalem Post that any deal would be a "short-term truce."

Ross called on the international community to link humanitarian aid to the disarmament of Hamas.