Israel and the Islamic Jihad group in the Gaza Strip agreed to an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire late Saturday, seeking to halt five days of intense fighting. The conflict killed 33 Palestinians, including at least 13 civilians. Two people in Israel were killed by rocket fire. There were celebrations in the streets of Gaza as the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire brought hopes of peace after five days of bloodshed. The tenuous cease-fire appeared to take effect just after 10 p.m., with a last-minute burst of rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes stretching several minutes past the deadline announced by Egypt. Late Saturday, Israel reported additional incoming fire and said it was again striking in Gaza. But the calm appeared to be quickly restored. The ceasefire appeared to bring a sense of relief to Gaza's more than two million people and hundreds of thousands of Israelis who had been largely confined to bomb shelters in recent days. However, the agreement did nothing to address the underlying issues that have fueled numerous rounds of fighting between Israel and Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip over the years. In Gaza, Islamic Jihad spokesman Tareq Selmi said Israel had agreed to halt its policy of targeted strikes on the group's leaders. "Any stupidity or assassination by the occupation will be met with a response and the Zionist enemy bears the responsibility," he said. But in a statement thanking Egypt for its mediation efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser Tzachi Nanegbi said, "Quiet would be answered with quiet" and Israel would do "everything that it needs to in order to defend itself." The truce brought an end to the worst episode of cross-border fire since a 10-day war in 2021. Egypt, which brokered the ceasefire, called on all sides to adhere to the agreement, Egypt's Al-Qahera News television channel reported on "In the light of the agreement of the Palestinian and the Israeli side, Egypt announces a ceasefire between the Palestinian and the Israeli side has been reached," read a text of the agreement. "The two sides will abide by the ceasefire which will include an end to targeting civilians, house demolition, an end to targeting individuals immediately when the ceasefire goes into effect," it said. Islamic Jihad confirmed a truce had been reached. "We declare our acceptance of the Egyptian announcement and we will abide by it as long as the occupation [Israel] abides by it," said the group's spokesman, Dawoud Shehab. The Israeli military confirmed that there will be a "situational assessment" regarding the ceasefire. — Agencies
