Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire held for hours after it began. The ceasefire began on Friday during the early hours.
Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire brought the 11 days of fighting to an end where an exceeding number of 250 people lost their lives. And the people killed were almost from Gaza. However, Hamas and Israel both claimed a victory at the end of the conflict.
There were fresh clashes in the al-Aqsa mosque’s compound. East Jerusalem now occupies it. And it occurred on Friday to test the ceasefire.
Mickey Rosenfeld – Israel police representative, spoke to AFP news
Mickey Rosenfeld, the Israel police spokesperson, told the AFP news that the Palestinians had thrown stones at the officers. He further added that riot-stopping measures were taken in response to throwing stones.
However, on Friday night, the Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire began. Israel opened one crossing that goes into Gaza to allow medicine, food, and fuel to the territory temporarily. Also, the country lifted the emergency restrictions that were present within their borders.
Palestine and Israel begin fighting on May 10
The Palestinian and Israel fight began on May 10 in Gaza. It was held after many weeks of tension between the Israeli-Palestine rift that arose in East Jerusalem. This fight was due to the clashes between the Jews and the Muslims over al-Aqsa, which is a holy place revered by both.
The Palestinian militant group – Hamas started firing rockets when Israel refused to withdraw itself from the site after several warnings. The airstrikes were massive that resulted in killing a minimum of 243 people.
The health ministry said that over 100 children and women lost their lives in Gaza. Further, Israel confirmed that a minimum of 225 militants killings took place in the fighting. However, Hamas hasn’t mentioned any number of causalities that took place. But Israel’s medical service says two children and ten more people lost their lives.
Gaza city and people’s reaction after Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire
Over 4,300 rocket-firing took place, says the Israeli military. And that killed over 1000 militants in Gaza.
The streets of Gaza have gone back into life after a few hours of the ceasefire. It has been after a fortnight that people can go out safely. The families are stepping over debris, and the children are walking over the smashed glasses. All residents are looking up at the wrecked buildings and taking it in at their own pace. On seeing the aftermath, it is not easy to fathom what a horrifying experience the residents have gone through during the airstrikes.
In one of Gaza City’s centers lies the Al-Sharouq building’s remnants. The meaning of this building’s name is sunrise and is lying on the street in ruins.
When a car was driving along the streets, a child with a Palestinian headscarf – keffiyeh was standing on the sunroof. His fingers were depicting the signs of victory. Hamas is celebrating Jerusalem’s defense. According to Israel, the airstrikes help set the group strategically back into place. The people there embrace the calm, but they are aware of the countdown to the following conflict.
Israel’s take about the ceasefire
According to the Political Security Cabinet of Israel, they said they had accepted the recommendation of a ceasefire unanimously. They further added that all the political heads had emphasized majorly on the ground reality, which will further determine the campaign in the future.
Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the Prime Minister of Israel, faced criticism because he had stopped the entire conflict very early. Ashkelon and Sderot, who are the mayors of the Israel towns who were hit the most by rockets, were the voices that showed their disappointment. They further added that Hamas – the Palestinian group, was supposed to be wiped off. However, the Prime Minister said on Friday in a conference that Israel “exacted a heavy price from Hamas”. Further, he said that everything is not yet known to Hamas or the public. But the range of full achievements will be unfolded within due course of time.
Palestine’s take about the ceasefire
One of Hamas’s officials spoke to the Associated Press that the truce was declared by Israel as a victory of the Palestinian people. Moreover, this was the view that Gaza’s people are celebrating across the streets, he further added.
A person on the street of Gaza said that it is a day to celebrate the victory. The person further said that it is a day of freedom. Finally, one remarked that the day is the most beautiful one that the people are experiencing.
Ismail Haniya, who is the top-most leader of Hamas on Friday, spoke to the reporters. He said it was the ”best strategic choice for liberation”. Moreover, he added that it had defeated all the negotiations that were illusions.
Finally, he concluded by saying as a movement with all their people and the nation’s good people will rebuild Gaza together.
The Hamas Council on International Relations official Basem Naim spoke to the BBC news. He said that he was skeptical whether or not the Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire would last without giving justice to the Palestinians. And also, he said his worry was it would not stop the Israel atrocities and aggression.
However, there was a warning given to Israel by Izzat al-Reshiq, who is a member of the political bureau of Hamas. He said it is a fact that the battle has come to an end. However, Netanyahu and the entire world are aware that they have their fingers on the trigger. He further concluded that they would start ramping up the capabilities with the resistance power they have.
USA’s take on the Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire
According to US President Joe Biden, the truce was a great chance for progress. The US President further said that he had appreciated Mr. Netanyahu in their phone conversation after the agreement was declared.
Further, he added that the US supported their decision to defend themselves against the undiscriminating attacks of rockets.
President Biden had words of praise for Abdul Fattah al-Sisi – Egypt’s President in his role in brokering the ceasefire. Further, he added that he genuinely sends his condolences to the families of Palestine and Israel, who have lost their families in the truce. Biden said that he hopes that the recovery of the wounds takes place soon.
The US President also said that he commits to staying in the reconstruction and for any humanitarian assistance for Gaza. He will work with the United Nations to take steps and work on assisting them.
President Joe Biden further said that he would be in full partnership with the Palestine authorities as well. The Palestine Authorities is run by Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas’s rival based on the West Bank, which Israel occupied.
Egypt president’s conversation with US president
Mr. Biden had a conversation with Egypt’s president and exclaimed his extreme happiness. They had an exchange of visions that would calm down the conflict that took place between Gaza and Israel.
British PM’s reaction to the Palestinian and Israeli ceasefire
Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, also encouraged the ceasefire. However, he also said both the parties must come to a solution to their conflicts.
The timeline of the violence
Palestine and Israel’s violence were the worst in several years, and dozens of people have lost their lives. It took a month where there was a spiral of tensions until the final conflict broke. Here we will discuss in details how the conflict broke out:
The Israeli and Palestinian police began to erupt clashes in East Jerusalem. The Palestine people were annoyed with barriers that had been put before the Damascus Gate entrance. It was done to prevent the entrance and gathering into the Old City of Jerusalem to prevent prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of the beginning of Ramadan, which marks the first month of the Islamic calendar.
Further, President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas postponed the elections. He blamed Israel for the voting arrangements done in East Jerusalem for the Palestinians. But Hamas, who is Mr. Abbas’s Islamist rivals and who is controlling Gaza and was standing for the elections, reacted aggressively at the deferment of the elections.
Soon after, there was violence everywhere in East Jerusalem and in front of the Damascus Gate.
April 15 and 16
On April 15 and 16, there were rockets that were fired at Israel from Gaza. After a period of calmness, there were the responses of airstrikes, and the fighting began between Palestine and Israel.
April 19
On April 19, there was a spread of clashes at Jaffa beside Tel Aviv and an Arab-Jewish port.
April 20
The Jewish youngsters in Jerusalem were angry and filmed the Palestinian assaults that were done on the Orthodox Jews. They filmed the video on TikTok and chanted the anti-Arab slogans.
April 23
Ultra-nationalist Jews in hundreds were screaming ‘Death of Arabs’, and they marched towards the Damascus Gate. It was done to protest the several assaults done on the Jews by the Arabs. The police were trying to separate them when there were clashes. And that resulted in many people’s injuries. However, the violence spread throughout many parts of the city between the Jews and the Arabs.
April 24
Several militants were firing hundreds of rockets from Gaza to Israel.
May 2
Hamas and President Abbas Fatah condemned the eviction of the Palestinian families in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah district. Hamas further called Arabs to form humans as a shield of resistance there.
Further two days, there was a clash repeatedly happening between the protesters and police at the site. And it eventually became the focus of the Palestinian aggression.
May 4
On May 4, the militants of Gaza were sending balloons into Israel for consecutive days that were causing fires.
May 7
Two Palestine’s gunmen died in the open firing done by the Israeli security forces on the northern side of the West Bank. And one died in that open firing. The Israeli authorities confirm that the group did plan a major attack in Israel.
After the Friday prayer, which marks Ramadan’s last day, erupted with significant clashes in the compound of al-Aqsa, where over 200 people were injured.
The police force of Israel said they used firing rubber bullets, stun grenades, which were means of riot dispersal. However, they were bound to take this step only when the officers were thrown bottles and stones.
May 8
The worshippers pray on Laylat al-Qadr, which is the most pious night in Ramadan. But the second wave of violence has erupted in East Jerusalem’s a-Aqsa mosque.
The Damascus Gate clashes took place by protesters and police.
The police were using rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannon against Palestinian crowds. Over 17 police officers and 120 Palestinian injuries took place.
May 9
On May 9, the Supreme Court of Israel postpones Sheikh Jarrah’s hearing as unrestricted growth. Further tensions go high, and there were clashes taking place with the Palestinians and Israeli police at the Damascus Gate.
May 10
There were clashes early in the morning at the al-Aqsa mosque compound between the Palestinians and police. The police were firing stun grenades, and crowds were throwing stones.
Israeli nationalists celebrated East Jerusalem’s capture that took place in 1967. The annual march was due to go through the Old City’s Arab parts, which the Palestinians saw as a move for provocation. However, even though it was rerouted last-minute but the situation was still unstable. And there were 21 policemen and 300 Palestinian injuries in the holy place.
Finally, Hamas issues a warning to Israel to withdraw their soldiers from Sheikh Jarrah and al-Aqsa mosque. As there was no response rocket-firing towards Jerusalem took place.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, said the group crossed the red line, and Israel retaliated with the airstrikes, which killed three Hamas fighters. There was a continuous exchange of fire rockets from two sides since their 2014 war.
