Israel on Thursday announced a cease-fire in the bruising 11-day war against Hamas militants that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the cease-fire after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. It said the group had unanimously accepted an Egyptian proposal, though the sides were still determining exactly when it was to take effect.
Senior defense officials, including the military chief of staff and national security adviser, recommended accepting the proposal after claiming “great accomplishments” in the operation, the statement said.
“The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will be that which determines the future of the campaign,” the statement said.
The IDF Chief-of-Staff, the military and the head of the ISA briefed ministers on Israel’s significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented.
The political leadership emphasizes that it is the reality on the ground that will determine the future of the operation.
One member of the Security Cabinet said the cease-fire would take effect at 2 a.m., roughly three hours after the announcement. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the closed-door talks.
Shortly after the announcement, air-raid sirens indicating incoming rocket fire sounded in southern Israel.
The fighting began May 10, when Hamas terrorists in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes during the operation, targeting what it said was Hamas’ military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. Hamas and other terrorist groups embedded in residential areas have fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, with hundreds falling short and most of the rest intercepted.
Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, were killed.
Over the course of the day on Thursday, from the morning until 8:00 p.m. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad fired 299 rockets at Israel, Israel returned fire and attacked numerous targets belonging to the terrorist organization in the Strip, but sources within the government and military have said that the IDF has achieved its goals in the mission.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
This article is a contradiction. Is it unilateral of a truce?
Bibi is got to go!
He is weak, and his weakness is knows and felt around the world, especially Gaza and the Liberal, terrorists backing USA
Who the he_ _ is Hamas to propose pre-conditions? They must be told there will be ceasefire until such time the YOU basta_ _ _ cease to fire! How dare they be allowed to set conditions? This world is nuts!
Translation:
The Zionists claim they to have accomplished whatever they could against the murderers of Hamas in the limited time that the world tolerated those Zionist actions.
But now, the world told them to stop, and like the exemplary Galus Jew that the Zionists so deride (unlike frum Jews who are really binei chorin who serve Hashem), now the Zionists have to stop.
Ceasefire meaning: “an agreement to stop fighting a war for a period of time so that a permanent agreement can be made to end the war” – Any chance of Hamas to sign a “permanent agreement to end the war”?
What objective has been achieved? They are still capable to shoot hundreds or thousands of rockets…
Bibis got to go. U r damn right! But he is weak! Weak in not wanting to bring this bloodshed to an end because of despicable power grab. U people are nothing better than bloody Arabs. Do u care if in the process of “weakness” people get killed? Probably not cuz its RAK BEDAM.
What a despicable Zionist mentality.
If Hamas is still shooting rockets into Israel what did the military achieve?
Never understood and still don’t understand why Israel supplies Aza with electricity to be used in hamas’s rocket factories or supply water, food, medical supplies. Oh and lets forget the cement for the tunnels.
What country helps their enemy?
Would Dovid HaMelech, Yoshua or any other true Jewish leader do that.
RMDK:
How on Earth could anyone even think to compare the Zionists to a real Jewish leader?
Just the opposite. When you see the Zionists do something, your first reaction should logically be how much against the Torah was that Zionist action.