On Thursday afternoon (May 20) EST, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet has approved a ceasefire to end an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip. Hamas then quickly confirmed the cease-fire.
Egyptian state media MENA reported that the truce would take effect at 2 a.m. local time, about three hours after it was announced.
Reuters reported that an official from the Palestinian Islamist faction said Israel and Hamas would cease fire on the Gaza Strip border at 2 a.m. local time (23:00 GMT) on Friday.
The Israeli security cabinet issued a full statement confirming the cease-fire decision. The statement said the security cabinet approved the Egyptian mediation proposal. The two sides are still agreeing on when the ceasefire will take effect. Multiple media reports said the truce will take effect at 2:00 a.m. local time, just over three hours after the cabinet’s decision.
An Israeli security cabinet statement said the truce was proposed by Egypt and would be “bilateral and unconditional.
The statement said senior defense officials, including the IDF chief of staff and national security adviser, recommended accepting the cease-fire offer after Israel’s operation had made “significant achievements.
“The political security cabinet unanimously accepted the recommendation of all security officials, the chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet (internal security agency), the head of the Mossad (foreign intelligence agency) and the head of the National Security Council to accept the Egyptian initiative for a bilateral and unconditional ceasefire that will come into effect later.” The statement said.
The statement said the political leaders stressed that the reality on the ground will determine future actions.
Taher Nounou, a Hamas official, confirmed the cease-fire agreement.
Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes since the Israeli-Palestinian military conflict broke out May 10, destroying many Hamas military facilities, including a vast network of tunnels. Hamas and other militant groups have fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel, and Israel says 90 percent of them have been intercepted.
At least 230 Palestinians have been killed and 12 in Israel, according to Gaza health officials.
Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip Thursday, and Hamas fired more rockets at Israel.
Earlier Thursday, President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss ways to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, The Associated Press reported. It was Biden’s first call to Sisi since he took office in January.
A statement issued by the Egyptian presidency said, “The call focused on discussions and an exchange of views in the hope of ending the violence in the Palestinian lands and stopping its escalation in light of the latest developments …… During the call, both sides agreed to continue regular consultations and exchanges of views and, in the future, to strengthen the relevant institutions of the two countries with fruitful of coordinated actions with each other.”
Egypt has ties to both Israel and Hamas, and has been the main mediator in successive conflicts in Gaza.
Egyptian President Sisi has ordered two security delegations into Israeli and Palestinian-occupied lands in an effort to maintain a ceasefire, Egyptian state television reported.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that reports of a cease-fire were “obviously encouraging. She said the U.S. is working to “do everything we can to end the conflict.
In addition, the U.N. Middle East envoy is also working in Qatar to promote a cease-fire. Energy-rich Qatar has often helped mediate the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
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