Int'l community welcomes ceasefire between Israel, Hamas

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, came into effect at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday).

The international community has welcomed the truce, which signals a pause to the fiercest fighting between the two sides since 2014 that has left hundreds dead, most of them Palestinians.

EGYPTIAN-BROKERED CEASEFIRE

The Israeli security cabinet approved on Thursday night the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced.

The decision came after a 2.5-hour discussion and was "unanimously" approved by the ministers, according to the office's statement.

"The political echelon emphasizes that the reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the military campaign," the statement said.

Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh was informed of the timing of the truce brokered by Egypt, Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem said.

The Egyptian mediator informed Hamas that Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, "and therefore we also agreed to the ceasefire," a Hamas source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"We have obtained guarantees from the mediators that the aggression on Gaza will stop," Hamas leader in Lebanon Osama Hamdan told the news website Al Resala.

The armed wing of Hamas announced on Thursday that it halted firing rockets into Israel, warning "starting the rocket strikes depends on the behavior of the enemy (Israel)."

Egypt will send security delegations to Israel and Palestine to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire, the official MENA news agency reported Thursday.

FIERCE CONFLICT

Confrontations between Palestinians and Israelis at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City have been intensified following a court ruling that tried to evict several Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

After hundreds of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police in East Jerusalem last week, Hamas launched rocket attacks against Israel, which responded with intense airstrikes against targets in Gaza.

Israel said that 12 Israelis were killed and more than 100 injured by the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at towns and cities in central and southern Israel.

On Thursday, the health ministry in Gaza said that 232 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children, 39 women and 17 elderly, and 1,900 were injured in the last 11 days of tension.

The deadly conflict has provoked concerns across the world.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on the international community to do the utmost to help bring a ceasefire in Israel-Palestine conflict.

"The fighting must stop immediately. I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, now and I reiterate my call on all sides for an immediate ceasefire," he said.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

Following the announcement of the ceasefire, the international community has expressed support for the immediate end to the massive bloodshed.

"I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel, after 11 days of deadly hostilities," Guterres told reporters a few minutes before the ceasefire took effect.

Guterres extended his deepest condolences to all the victims of the violence, and their loved ones, across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

"I commend Egypt and Qatar for the efforts carried out, in close coordination with the UN, to help restore calm to Gaza and Israel," he said, calling on all sides to observe the ceasefire.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire, expressing "sincere gratitude" to Egypt for brokering the deal.

"I extend my sincere gratitude to President al-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who played such a critical role in this diplomacy," Biden said at the White House.

Welcoming the ceasefire, European Council President Charles Michel called on all parties to seize the opportunity to achieve peace.

"Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending the 11-day conflict. Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized," Michel tweeted late Thursday.