An Egypt-mediated ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian factions in the besieged Gaza Strip was declared following Israeli escalation since predawn Saturday until predawn Monday.
The Egypt-mediated ceasefire comes after Israeli warplanes carried out at least 320 airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, while about 600 rockets were fired from Gaza towards southern Israel.
#UPDATE Palestinian leaders in #Gaza agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on Monday to end a deadly two-day escalation in violence that threatened to widen into a fourth war between them since 2008. https://t.co/ydBphC7XYC pic.twitter.com/o3Juc3O2cV
— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 6, 2019
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed that 25 Palestinians, including an infant, toddler, and two pregnant women, were killed in the Israeli airstrikes.
In addition, a husband and wife were found to have succumbed to their wounds under the rubble, as a result of the airstrikes.
Israel and Gaza reach ceasefire agreement after three days of air raids and rocket attacks https://t.co/KF4r62Xg6D pic.twitter.com/KviIUY1fMl
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 6, 2019
The ministry also confirmed that at least 154 Palestinians were injured.
It is noteworthy that Israeli airstrikes caused extensive damage to 310 residential buildings, fishing ports, and two universities across Gaza, and completely destroyed 18 residential buildings and family homes, a mosque, several schools, three media offices, and three ambulances.
Another #Gaza escalation, another ceasefire. The *single most important* factor in this groundhog day scenario is the utter unwillingness of Israel's allies & int'l gov'ts to compel Israel to abide by basic international law & human rights standards – e.g. by ending the blockade.
— Ben White (@benabyad) May 6, 2019
The Israeli escalation came after Israeli forces shot and killed four Palestinians in the 57th “The Great March of Return” Friday protests, during which thousands of Palestinians take to the borders to peacefully protest the 12-year Israeli siege.
#Netanyahu Orders ‘Massive Strikes’ on Gaza: 9 Palestinians, 3 Israelis Killed (PHOTOS & VIDEOS) https://t.co/1x4EYLwDKX @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/bqa1opjFEm
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 5, 2019
The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years, including damage to the enclave’s water, sanitation, energy, and medical facilities, coupled with slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.
(Ma’an, PC, Social Media)
