Announcing the ceasefire, a brief statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office thanked Egypt for its mediation efforts, but warned in the event of a violation: “The State of Israel reserves the right to respond forcefully.”
The announcement, which followed shortly after an Islamic Jihad attack, came about 50 hours after the escalation began, when Israel launched what it called pre-emptive strikes on Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza. According to information provided by Palestinian officials, at least 44 civilians and militants were killed in the escalation, including 15 children.
Bwwaged an 11-day war in May 2021. A key difference this time was Hamas’s decision to stay out of the fighting. Their statements blamed Israel for the escalation, but consistently refrained from threatening retaliatory attacks.The Israeli prime minister’s office thanked Egypt for its mediation efforts but warned that “the State of Israel reserves the right to react vigorously if the ceasefire is violated.”
Terms of the deal were not immediately released. However, Egypt’s official news agency reported that as part of a tentative ceasefire, Cairo is trying to secure the release of an Islamic Jihad fighter captured by Israel six years ago and to ensure that a Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike is transferred to an Israeli prison and to a hospital for medical treatment.
