Israel-Gaza live: Egypt mediates ceasefire to end Israel's assault on Gaza
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Hello MEE readers,
The fifth day of Israel’s latest assault on Gaza ended in a fragile truce after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire went into effect at 10 pm, local time.
Both sides exchanged fire right up until the 10 pm deadline, in addition to some reports of sporadic fire after the ceasefire had begun. Still, the situation remains mostly calm tonight.
Following the deadline, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for Egypt's "resolute efforts" to broker a truce.
Netanyahu's office warned that "if Israel is attacked or provoked, it will do whatever is necessary to defend itself".
Meanwhile, the Joint Command, an umbrella body of armed groups in the Strip, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, similarly said that the movement was "ready with a firm hand on the trigger" and "if you return, we will return".
There have been mounting calls for a ceasefire to be agreed, including from Israel's closest ally, the United States.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, in a call to Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, "stressed the urgency of reaching a ceasefire agreement in order to prevent any further loss of civilian life", the State Department said.
Israel's offensive, dubbed "Operation Shield and Arrow" by Israel, has so far killed six senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second-largest armed group in Gaza after Hamas.
Israel's airstrikes on Gaza killed at least 10 civilians, and two people - an Israeli woman and a Palestinian labourer - were killed by Palestinian rocket fire in Israel.
According to Unicef's latest report, Israeli strikes on Gaza had killed at least six children and injured 38 others.
Earlier on Saturday, Gaza’s Ministry of Waqf and Islamic Affairs strongly condemned the targeting of a cemetery in the besieged territory.
“Targeting cemeteries is a dangerous indicator and a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead,” the ministry said in a statement.
Moayed al-Bahri, a resident of Gaza's Beit Lehia, recounted to MEE the "terrifying" moments air strikes hit his neighbourhood.
"I was sleeping when my wife woke me up to flee as Israel had warned our neighbour's house, the Banat family," Bahri said.
Meanwhile, officials in Gaza warned on Saturday that it would have no choice but to close down the besieged territory's only power plant unless Israel reopens its border crossing to let in emergency fuel.
The state-run Wafa agency reported that the power plant sustained heavy damage during Israel's latest bombardment on Gaza.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for Egypt's "resolute efforts" to broker a truce.
The Israeli announcement also emphasised that "quiet will be answered with quiet, and if Israel is attacked or provoked, it will do whatever is necessary to defend itself".
Meanwhile, the Joint Operations Room of Palestinian factions warned Israel against any further attacks.
"The resistance forces [in Gaza] are concluding the conflict united and resolute, and caution the enemy against returning to the policy of targeted killings. We are ready with a firm hand on the trigger, and if you return, we will return," the group said in a statement after the truce set in.
Israel has continued its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire agreement set to take place at 10 pm, local time.
Meanwhile, its Iron Dome defence system was activated over Tel Aviv suburbs and over southern Israeli towns around the same period, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that an Israeli source said negotiators refused the Islamic Jihad's demand that Israeli end all targeted assassinations, but agreed to a "quiet-for-quiet" deal.
The agreement stipulates an end to the targeting of civilians and demolition of houses, Egypt's Qahera News Television channel has reported.
The ceasefire is set to begin 10pm, local time, on Saturday.
Egyptian officials have called on both sides to adhere to the ceasefire.
Gaza’s Ministry of Waqf and Islamic Affairs strongly condemned targeting of a cemetery in the besieged territory on Saturday.
“Targeting cemeteries is a dangerous indicator and a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead,” the ministry said in a statement.
Moayed al-Bahri recounted the moment an Israeli bomb struck his neighbourhood in Gaza.
"I was sleeping when my wife woke me up to flee as Israel had warned our neighbour's house, the Banat family," Bahri, a resident in Beit Lehia, told Middle East Eye.
"Me and my neighbours had no choice but to flee. Men, women, young and old were screaming. The scene was terrifying. We fled far away to a house where our relatives live."
He noted that Israel had bombed the house with a "high explosive rocket", which caused heavy damage.
Palestinian rockets have killed one person and wounded two others on Saturday.
Three people were brought for treatment to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in the afternoon after rockets struck cities in southern Israel.
One person was in moderate condition and two were seriously wounded from rocket shrapnel. One of them was later pronounced dead, Soroka Hospital said.
Unicef said the latest round of violence on Saturday in and around the Gaza Strip had killed at least six children and injured 38 others.
The UN agency said hostilities had led to schools closing down in Gaza and parts of Israel, with Palestinian children unable to reach urgent medical services
It called for "the immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties to protect children from all forms of violence and grave violations, in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law".
Officials in Gaza warned on Saturday that it would have no choice but to close down the besieged territory's only power plant unless Israel reopens its border crossing to let in emergency fuel.
The state-run Wafa agency reported that the power plant sustained heavy damage during Israel's latest bombardment on Gaza.
Border closures have further compounded the situation and led to nearly half the territory not having any power.
But if Israel refuses to let in emergency fuel for the power plant, then Gaza said it would have no choice but to close down the plant on Monday.
Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Saturday with several wounded during an arrest raid.
The men were identified by the Palestinian Health Ministry as Said Jihad Shaker Mashah, 32, and Adnan Waseem Yousef al-Araj, 19, from the Balata refugee camp in Nablus.
Read More: Israeli army kills two Palestinians in West Bank raids
Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service reported that three Israelis were wounded by rocket shrapnel on Saturday.
The three Israeli men, who were in their 40s, were taken to hospital for treatment. One was reported to be seriously wounded and two moderately wounded.
The al-Quds Brigades (Saraya al-Quds), the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, said in a brief statement they are prepared for a months-long battle, as hopes for a ceasefire fade.
"In the face of continuing [Israeli] assassinations and bombings of civilian homes, the Palestinian resistance will renew its missile bombardment of the occupied cities," the al-Quds Brigades said in a communique via its Telegram page.
"The resistance has prepared itself for months of confrontation."
At least 20 people have been wounded from Palestinian rockets fired at Israel since Wednesday, according to Israel's emergency medical service Magen David Adom.
One person has been killed so far after a rocket hit a residential building in Rehovot near Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Dozens of other people have been treated for anxiety from nearby rocket impact, medics said on Saturday.
