– International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship – IFCJ) installs new bomb shelters as Egypt calls for peace amidst Israel-Gaza airstrikes
Ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants in Gaza got off to a shaky start, as both sides kept firing for two hours after the truce started on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship – IFCJ) has announced the placement of five new bomb shelter units in areas of Ashkelon identified by local authorities as lacking ample protection.
At least 33 Palestinians have been killed since last Tuesday in Gaza, where Israel says it has struck PIJ targets.
Palestinian rocket fire into Israel has also killed two people, one Israeli and one Palestinian working in the country.
The mediation efforts were led by Egypt, and it urged Israel-Gaza to adhere to the ceasefire agreement.
Washington welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire, and said US officials had worked with regional partners to achieve the resolution.
Minutes after the ceasefire supposedly started, militants launched more rockets at southern Israeli communities and the Israeli military carried out air strikes on what it said were two PIJ rocket launchers in Gaza.
Further rocket fire at around 23:00 drew another round of Israel-Gaza air strikes.
Despite the fighting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement confirming that a ceasefire had been agreed and thanked Egypt for its “intensive efforts” to secure one.
It also said Israel had made clear that its acceptance meant “quiet will be met with quiet, and that if Israel is attacked or threatened, it will continue to do everything that it needs to in order to defend itself”.
PIJ also confirmed the ceasefire, with a spokesman telling Reuters news agency: “We will abide by it as long as the occupation [Israel] abides by it.”
Israel began its military operation in Gaza before dawn last Tuesday, killing three leaders of PIJ in their homes as well as at least 10 civilians, including relatives and neighbours of the men.
PIJ fighters then fired barrages of rockets at southern and central Israel, which they said were intended to avenge the dead.
At least 1,234 rockets and mortars have been fired from Gaza in total, with 976 crossing into Israeli territory, according to the Israeli military. Most have been intercepted or have landed in open areas, but some have hit homes and other buildings.
One woman was killed when a rocket hit an apartment building in the central city of Rehovot on Thursday, while a worker from Gaza was killed when he was hit by rocket shrapnel at a building site in the southern Sdot Negev region.
The military says 221 of the rockets have fallen short inside Gaza and that they have killed four people there, including three children. Islamic Jihad denies the allegation.
Israel has carried out air strikes on 371 PIJ targets across Gaza, killing three more leaders and destroying what it said were the group’s rocket launch sites and command centres.
About half of the 33 people killed in Gaza were civilians, including seven children and four women, according to local health officials.
%20installs%20bomb%20shelters%20as%20Egypt%20calls%20for%20peace%20amidst%20Israel-Gaza){kind=link}