Gaza City, May 13 (RHC)-- Palestinian resistance groups in the Gaza Strip say a ceasefire agreement has been reached with Israel to end five days of the regime’s ruthless onslaught on the coastal strip. The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, came into effect at 10:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) to end the Israeli aggression on the besieged territory, which claimed the lives of more than 30 Palestinians civilians, including women and children.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad has confirmed the truce with the group's spokesman Dawoud Shehab, saying, "We declare our acceptance of the Egyptian announcement and we will abide by it as long as the occupation abides by it."
According to Palestinian media, six children and three women were among victims of the latest Israeli aggression against Gaza, which left 150 others injured, most of them also women and children. The Palestinian fatalities included six Islamic Jihad commanders.
A total of 51 Palestinian houses were completely destroyed, while 1,000 houses were partially damaged. Some 50 Palestinian houses were rendered uninhabitable.
The Joint Operations Room of Palestinian Resistance Factions also announced the end of fighting in a statement, warning the Zionist regime against returning to the policy of assassination of resistance commanders.
"Our sword is not sheathed and our hands are on the trigger. If you return, we will return." The statement added that the Palestinian resistance has the upper hand when it comes to use of force and deterrence, as it showered the enemy with hundreds of rockets and artillery shells, destroying the enemy’s structures.
“The will to fight [Israel] will not weaken. The enemy miscalculated when it thought the time was in its favor and the opportunity was ripe to assassinate a group of resistance leaders and then end the conflict as soon as possible and according to its own desire.” The groups added that the resistance against Israel will start anew following the conflict and “the banners of resistance have not been and will not be lowered.”
The conflict marked the worst episode of fighting between Gaza's resistance factions and the Israeli regime since a 10-day war in 2021. Earlier on Saturday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh urged the United Nations to intervene immediately to stop the Israeli massacre.
Shtayyeh called for a boycott of the regime over its crimes against humanity, and underscored that those responsible must not go unpunished.
On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Israeli regime's carnage of civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip as "unacceptable." According to Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesperson, the UN chief urged the occupying regime to "immediately" stop the bloodshed.
"Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the proportional use of force and taking all feasible precautions to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations," noted the spokesman.
Haq also denounced the regime's concomitant closure of Gaza's border crossings, which prevented the entry of foodstuff, medical supplies, and fuel into the besieged coastal territory.
