Ceasefire takes effect as Israel PM faces accusations

Palestinian supporters of the Hamas movement celebrate after a ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Friday. Pic/AFP

Palestinians rallied by the thousands early on Friday after a ceasefire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas over a far more powerful Israel.

The 11-day war left more than 200 dead - the vast majority Palestinians - and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. The truce faces an early test on Friday, when tens of thousands of Palestinians attend weekly prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, a flashpoint holy site revered by Jews and Muslims.

Celebratory protests could spark confrontations with Israeli police, setting in motion another cycle of escalation like the one that led to the war. Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the ceasefire took hold at 2 am. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. Spontaneous celebrations also broke out in east Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank.

The mood was more sombre in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his right-wing base that he had halted the war too soon. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on Hamas with hundreds of bruising airstrikes but once again was unable to halt the rockets.

Resolution introduced to block arms sale

United States (US) Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced a resolution in an effort to block the administration's proposed $735 million sale of precision-guided weapons to Israel in the wake of the violence in the Gaza Strip.

‘Blinken to visit Israel soon'

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit the region in the coming days, as a ceasefire to halt fighting between the Jewish state and Hamas was enforced on Friday.

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