After an 11-day war, the fighting between Israel and Palestine stopped Friday night after Israel and Hamas reached a cease-fire agreement late Thursday evening, Deseret News reported.
One day in, the agreement holds with no reports of violations from either side, The New York Times said. The cease-fire ended the deadliest fighting between Israel and Hamas in seven years.
- During the fighting, Israeli airstrikes killed 232 Palestinians, 65 children and 39 women, and wounded 1,710 Palestinians, says Gaza Health Ministry via The Associated Press and CNN.
- Hamas rocket shelling killed 12 Israelis, including two children, The AP said.
Even with a cease-fire, peace is not fully restored to the region. A Friday afternoon skirmish at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and veiled threats could disrupt the fragile peace, NBC News and The New York Times said.
What are the details of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas?
The fighting ended inconclusively with both Israel and Hamas leaders claiming to have won, the AP reported. According to Axios and the AP, Israel and Hamas officials have reported conflicting details about the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire agreement.
- Hamas officials said via the AP that the Israeli prime minister agreed to stop further actions at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque and stop evictions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, two key incidents leading to the recent round of fighting.
- Israeli officials said the cease-fire was unconditional, Axios reported.
- Egyptian officials said that the tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed, the AP reported.
Even while agreeing to the cease-fire, both Israel and Hamas issued veiled threats of further violence. Both sides indicated that their compliance would depend on the actions of the other, The New York Times reported.
Is the Israel-Palestine conflict really over?
The first indication of the fragility of the current truce came Friday afternoon at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, reported NBC News. After midday prayers, Palestinians held a celebratory demonstration, with shows of support for Hamas.
- The Israeli police entered the mosque compound, firing tear gas and grenades at Palestinians gathered, The New York Times reported.
- According to the Palestinian Red Crescent via The New York Times, 21 Palestinians were injured, including two who were taken to the hospital.
What triggered the skirmish is uncertain, reports NBC News. However, according to The New York Times, the Israeli police said demonstrators began throwing rocks at officers.
An earlier and more violent Israeli police raid on the al-Aqsa mosque was a critical flashpoint that contributed to the most recent round of fighting between Israel and Hamas, the Deseret News reported. Tensions in Jerusalem remain a key topic in truce talks.
What’s next with the conflict?
Hamas leaders face the task of rebuilding the region, which suffered massive destruction from Israeli airstrikes. Gaza already faced the ongoing challenges of unemployment, poverty and coronavirus outbreaks, the AP reported. According to The New York Times, Israel has reopened the roads into Gaza, allowing much-needed humanitarian aid to enter the region.
- Global leaders have called for further discussions that will resolve the underlying conflicts between Israel and Hamas and end the cycle of violent fighting, NPR said.
- Egypt will send two delegations to monitor the cease-fire and promote further stability, Axios and NBC News reported.