After five days of intense fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire has been agreed to by both sides, starting at 10 p.m. local time on Saturday. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel, and hundreds of thousands of Israelis and more than two million people in Gaza had been largely confined to bomb shelters. Despite a last-minute burst of rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes, the cease-fire brings a sense of relief to the region, though it remains to be seen how long it will last.
Posts tagged as “Palestinian”
For the fifth consecutive day, Israel and Palestinian militants have been exchanging fire in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 Palestinians and four Israeli civilians. Saturday saw the Islamic Jihad militant group launch dozens of rockets, while the Israeli military responded with airstrikes and raided the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, sparking a firefight that killed two Palestinians. Missile shrapnel from the conflict also struck an agricultural community in Israel's southern Negev desert, wounding three Palestinians.
One year after the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the FBI investigation has not spoken to key witnesses, raising questions about progress. Abu Akleh was a prominent journalist and was fatally shot by an Israeli soldier while reporting in the West Bank. A report by the Committee to Protect Journalists highlights the need for greater accountability and justice for journalists killed in the line of duty.
Israeli military airstrikes against the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip have resulted in the death of a senior commander and 25 Palestinians, including fighters and civilians. The Israeli army has reported over 500 rockets fired from Gaza, with no casualties reported in Israel so far. Egypt is attempting to broker a cease-fire, but the efforts have been faltering.
Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday morning targeted three senior Islamic Jihad commanders in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 13 people, including the commanders, their families, and other nearby civilians. Twenty people were injured in the strikes, sparking outrage among Palestinians and condemnation from the militant group. The incident is likely to further strain the already tense relations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Khader Adnan, a leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group, died in Israeli custody after a hunger strike of nearly three months. In response, Palestinian militants in Gaza fired 22 rockets toward populated areas in southern Israel, wounding three people. Adnan's death has sparked outrage among Palestinians and human rights groups, who have called for an investigation into his death and the conditions of his detention.
On Sunday, tensions between Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem reached a peak, with simultaneous religious rituals at a volatile shrine and Israeli warplanes and artillery striking targets in Syria in response to rare rocket fire. The IDF reported that six rockets had been launched from Syria, three of which were intercepted, and hundreds of Jews visited the Al-Aqsa compound under heavy police guard. Simultaneously, thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered at the Western Wall for a mass priestly benediction prayer service. The events have further heightened the tension between Israel and Syria, and between Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem.
Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square, decorated with 38,000 flowers from the Netherlands, and was joined by prelates and thousands of worshippers. His message of hope and peace invoked prayers for the Ukrainian and Russian people, and called for Israelis and Palestinians to forge a “climate of trust”.