The ceasefire between Israel and Gaza appeared to be holding on Sunday, after a long day of bombardment between the two sides, the largest since the 2014 war that lasted 51 days.
The ceasefire, the second between the two sides to be brokered by Egypt this year after a previous day-long flare-up in May, came into force late on Saturday.
In a day of fierce fighting on Saturday, Israel carried out dozens of violent air strikes in Gaza, targeting military positions of Palestinian factions, and then factions responded with dozens of rocket attacks against Israeli towns and settlements in the vicinity of the Strip. The fighting continued throughout Saturday, despite Egypt's rush to intervene to salvage the truce.
Egypt is working to prevent a further escalation and towards mediating a ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian factions, according to informed Palestinian sources. UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov is reportedly also working to broker a ceasefire after the heavy fighting.
According to the sources, Egypt reached an agreement to a mutual cease of fire. Israel insisted on shelling Gaza and threatened to target farther areas if the factions continued to fire rockets from Gaza. This was matched by the Palestinian insistence on responding to every bombing by shelling before Egypt succeeded in reaching an agreement.
Egypt acted upon the conviction that the agreement it previously sponsored is threatened, and that both parties should save it or head towards a new open war, according to the sources familiar with the negotiations.
The security situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings deteriorated after midnight when Israeli aircraft launched a series of raids on several Palestinian factions posts in response to the injury of an Israeli officer who was hit by a grenade thrown at Israeli forces on Friday.
Israeli army killed two Palestinians and injured more than 200 in the weekly demonstrations near the border.
The number of Palestinians killed by Israel at the borders of Gaza Strip rose to 139 since the beginning of the Marches of Return in March.
Israel targeted a tunnel and several military sites, including a Hamas training camp and sites where the fire balloons were being prepared. The Palestinian factions responded by firing rockets at nearby Israeli settlements and towns. The iron dome confronted some of the rockets before the Israeli army raids on Gaza and the factions response.
This situation continued throughout Saturday, but during the second round, Israel expanded its targeted areas, and the factions intensified the number of rockets.
Israeli army spokesman Brig.Gen Ronen Manelis announced that fighter jets targeted dozens of “military targets in four Hamas military compounds throughout the Gaza Strip. The focus of the wide-scale strike was a Hamas Battalion headquarters in Beit Lahia.”
In addition, a weapons manufacturing site and storage facilities housing various types of weapons were targeted, added Manelis.
The spokesman went on to say that the strike was conducted in response to “Hamas’ terror activity that targeted Israeli civilians and violated Israeli sovereignty. The IDF views Hamas’ terror activity with great severity and is prepared for a wide variety of scenarios.”
At least six Palestinians were wounded by Israeli aircraft shelling of Gaza, and no Israelis were injured by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
Hamas and other factions fired about 70 rockets and mortars at Israeli settlements and towns. Sirens were heard in many towns and villages surrounding the area and residents were instructed to stay near shelters and safe rooms.
This is the widest escalation since the end of the war of 2014 as Hamas confirmed it will not allow the occupation forces to solely bomb and kill the Palestinian people.
“The resistance will not allow the occupation to bomb and kill our people, and its response will be present in every escalation,” asserted Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif Qanou in statement.
“The occupation bears the consequences of that,” added the statement.
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot met with senior commanders in the south to review the situation.
Israeli army said it planned to “intensify its strikes in the Gaza Strip as deemed necessary” and continue to improve the security situation and strengthen the sense of security of the residents of southern Israel.”
