2 yıl önce

Gaza crossing opens as ceasefire holds between Israel, Palestinian group

Crossings into Gaza partially reopened for humanitarian needs after a ceasefire deal ended three days of violence following the launch of heavy aerial and artillery bombardment by Israel.

AFP

An AFP journalist at the goods crossing to southern Gaza saw trucks loaded with fuel enter the enclave, ending a severe shortage which prompted the only power station there to shut down on Saturday.

Fuel trucks enter Gaza as an Egypt-brokered truce between Israel and the Islamic Jihad group holds, raising hopes that the Israeli air strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians has ended.

The arrival of vital supplies on Monday follows the implementation of a ceasefire at 11:30 pm (2030 GMT) on Sunday, to stem the worst Israeli attacks on Gaza since an 11-day war last year devastated the Palestinian coastal territory.

Gaza's health ministry said 15 children were among 44 Palestinians killed in the intense fighting.

Despite a flurry of strikes and rocket attacks in the run-up to the truce, neither side had reported any major violations of the agreement overnight.

The Israeli military said roads will gradually reopen in the city on Monday. "It was decided to gradually lift the restrictions," the army said.

'Fragile' truce

Israel launched a heavy aerial and artillery bombardment in Gaza on Friday, wounding 360 people in the Palestinian enclave, health officials said.

Gaza resident Nour Abu Sultan, 29, said the three days of attacks were "terrifying", and that she had been unable to sleep during the "shelling and rockets, the sound of aircraft above us".

In a statement sent three minutes after the ceasefire began, Israel's army said that "the (military) is currently striking a wide range of targets" belonging to Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

In a subsequent statement, the army clarified that its "last" strikes took place at 11:25 pm.

While both sides agreed to the truce, each warned the other that it would respond with force to any violence.

In a statement, UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: "The situation is still very fragile, and I urge all parties to observe the ceasefire."