Ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian jihadist group PIJ takes effect

The agreement was reached thanks to mediation from Egyptian President Fattah El Sisi.

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May 14, 2023

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After five days of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group in Gaza, the attacks appear to have stopped.

Both sides agreed to a cease-fire on Saturday night, mediated by Egypt. On the same day, the United States welcomed the cessation of hostilities in a press release and acknowledged the role of Egyptian President Fattah El Sisi.

U.S. officials worked closely with regional partners to achieve this resolution to the hostilities to prevent further loss of life and restore calm for both Israelis and Palestinians. We are grateful for the critical diplomatic efforts of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and senior Egyptian officials, as well as Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar.

Israel later warned that it would respond"calmly to calm," and would defend itself if threatened or attacked, the BBC reports. The YIP sent a similar message, saying that they would respect what had been negotiated as long as the other side kept its word.

The altercations began last Tuesday. Since then, the Israel Defense Forces have reportedly destroyed more than 300 targets linked to PIJ, while the militia fired nearly 1,500 missiles into Israeli territory, according to information from the Jewish News Syndicate. Some of the latest attacks would have occurred within hours of the agreement being reached, but would not have resulted in casualties or invalidated the agreement.

Sirens sounding in southern Israel.

On Sunday and Monday the agreement will face two key days. On May 14, Israel celebrates the anniversary of its independence. The following day, Palestinian supporters remember Nakba Day. Nakba Dayi.e. the "catastrophe" or "disaster" of the birth of Israel.

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