Israel and Islamic Jihad appear to have reach a ceasefire understanding that went into effect at 5.30 a.m, the IDF announced on Thursday morning.An Israeli official said that a restoration of calm could only be measured by the facts on the ground, clarifying that no concessions has been made to the Islamic Jihad. The operative policy remains in place, "we will harm those who harm us," the official said."Israel achieved its operational objectives. Islamic Jihad was significantly harmed, infrastructures were destroyed and over 20 terrorists were targeted [killed]," the official said.
The Palestinian Sawa news agency also reported that the Palestinian factions and Islamic Jihad agreed to the Egyptian proposal for an immediate ceasefire. A diplomatic source reportedly told Sawa that the Palestinians would "maintain peaceful Marches of Return" and Israel in turn would put an "end to assassinations" and would not respond violently toward the border protestors.UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov, who has been in Egypt working to restore calm, tweeted "#Egypt and the #UN worked hard to prevent the most dangerous escalation in and around #Gaza from leading to #war. The coming hours and days will be critical. ALL must show maximum restraint and do their part to prevent bloodshed. The #MiddleEast does not need more wars."
The ceasefire came after a night of continued rocket fire that pounded southern Israel. Around 400 rockets have been fired from Gaza into the Jewish state since the start of the escalation overnight Monday, which followed an IDF targeted assassination of one of the group’s top commanders in the Gaza Strip, commander Bahaa Abu al-Ata.On Wednesday, PIJ Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah said in an interview with Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen news that Israel conveyed a request for a ceasefire and that the terrorist group would only agree to a ceasefire if Israel met three requirements: the cessation of assassinations, stopping firing on the March of Return demonstrations and the lifting of the siege on Gaza according to former agreements made in Cairo.Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Army Radio that the lack of Hamas involvement in the last round of fighting is an Israeli achievement. "If they didn't shoot, its because they feared the results," he said. Nonetheless, at around 6 a.m., sirens were heard and rockets fired from Gaza at Jewish communities on the border.#BREAKING: #Egypt and the #UN worked hard to prevent the most dangerous escalation in and around #Gaza from leading to #war. The coming hours and days will be critical. ALL must show maximum restraint and do their part to prevent bloodshed. The #MiddleEast does not need more wars
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) November 14, 2019