Hamas leaders on Wednesday said they had agreed to a ceasefire on the condition that Israel reciprocates the action, Reuters reported. The announcement comes amid reports of intense strikes in Israel and Gaza during what has been described as the worst hostilities since 2014.
No attacks were reported two hours after the announcement of the truce. “An agreement was reached to return to the [2014] ceasefire understandings in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas’ deputy chief in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya said. “The resistance factions will abide by it as long as the Occupation [the group’s reference to Israel] does the same.”
Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz avoided directly answering questions on the development but said it was not interested in an escalation towards war. “It all depends on Hamas,” Kaztz said. “If it continues [to attack, I don’t know what its fate will be.”
More than 50 people have died this month in clashes between the Israeli military and Palestinian protestors, as demonstrations against the shifting of the United States embassy to Jerusalem turned violent. The embassy was earlier based in Tel Aviv. Palestine’s health ministry said around 2,400 Palestinians were injured in the violence.
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