Egypt Brokers Ceasefire In Gaza

Reports of truce raise hopes in Gaza after three days of fighting

- Bethan McKernan and Hazem Balousha

36 Number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since Friday; 13 Israelis have been injured in retaliatory attacks

2.2m Population of Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes have been targeting the militant group Islamic Jihad

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after three days of cross-border fighting triggered by surprise Israeli airstrikes, according to reports.

Officials from Egypt, which often mediates between Israel and Gaza’s armed groups, said that a truce would come into effect at 9.30pm BST yesterday.

Spokespeople for the Israeli army did not comment on the reports, but they were confirmed by Islamic Jihad. “We appreciate the Egyptian efforts that had been exerted to end the Israeli aggression against our people,” spokesperson Tareq Selmi said.

The agreement should at least temporarily halt the bloodshed that erupted in the blockaded territory on Friday with Israel’s “pre-emptive” operation Breaking Dawn, which it said thwarted alleged planned rocket attacks by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. A total of 36 Palestinians, among them 11 children, as well as members of Islamic Jihad, have died in the bombing campaign and more than 300 people have been injured, while 13 Israelis have been treated in hospital for minor injuries as hundreds of retaliatory rockets were fired across the Gaza frontier towards the south of the country.