Is Israel's military operation in Gaza, dubbed "Guardian of the Walls", nearing its conclusion? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. "I was getting ready to die. They struck 35 "terror targets" and destroyed more than 15km (9.3 miles) of an underground tunnel network belonging to Hamas, it added. The United States - a strong ally of Israel - is said to be the hold-out, believing it would be unhelpful in the diplomatic process. Hamas issues an ultimatum to Israel to “withdraw its soldiers... from the blessed al-Aqsa mosque and Sheikh Jarrah” by 18:00. Early morning clashes break out between police and Palestinians at the al-Aqsa mosque compound, where crowds throw stones and officers fire stun grenades. Israeli authorities say the group planned to carry out a “major attack” in Israel. People in Gaza have told of their fear. Not obviously. Here is what happened in the lead-up to the fighting. Militants fire dozens of rockets at Israel from Gaza, drawing retaliatory air strikes. A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas went into effect early Friday and appeared to be holding in its initial hours after 11 days of violence that left hundreds dead. Earlier, Biden told Netanyahu he expected “a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire” between Israel and militants in Gaza, in … The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) is asking for Israel to engage in a temporary cease-fire with the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip even if … “That is why we had to respond.”. On Monday, rocket warning sirens sounded again, in several areas around southern Israel. Israeli officials say they have seen the highest ever concentration of rocket attacks in that time. Israel struck hundreds of targets in the Gaza Strip, including hospitals, schools, water infrastructure and multi-storey towers housing homes and media offices, drawing fierce international criticism. Egypt had mediated between Israel and Hamas, brokering talks for mediation after 11 days of intense fighting between the two. A second night of violence erupts in East Jerusalem after tens of thousands of worshippers prayed at the al-Aqsa mosque for Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan. Violence between Arabs and Jews spreads to other parts of the city. By Holly Williams, Imtiaz Tyab, Haley Ott May 21, 2021 / 1:48 AM / CBS News Gaza conflict: 'Ceasefire' after days of violence. Two Palestinian gunmen are shot dead and a third is wounded after opening fire on Israeli security forces in the northern West Bank. What happens to your body in extreme heat? The latest round of … The White House said the US leader expressed "support" for an end to hostilities as violence between the two sides entered its eighth day. Tensions remain high though and more clashes take place between Israeli police and Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and at Damascus Gate. It is rerouted at the 11th hour, but the atmosphere remains volatile with more than 300 Palestinians and some 21 police injured in the violence at the holy site. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Amanda Macias @amanda_m_macias. “This is the effort of every person and every nation, together for a just cause. Published 15 hours ago. Palestinians, who were holding a celebratory demonstration at Al-Aqsa and waving Palestinian flags, threw stones at officers. Mediated by Egypt, the deal follows 11 days of intense fighting in the blockaded Palestinian enclave, seeing thousands of rockets fired towards Israeli cities and flurries of IDF airstrikes in Gaza. The UN has also warned of fuel shortages in Gaza which could lead to hospitals and other facilities losing power. Israel conducted dozens of air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday, after Palestinian militants fired barrages of rockets at southern Israeli cities. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Sunday, and Secretary-General António Guterres warned that further fighting had "the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis". Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called the truce the “power of collective, unified action”. The overall death toll in the territory now stands at 200, including 59 children and 35 women, with 1,305 injured, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Since the US, like Israel and many other countries, regards Hamas as a terrorist organisation, Mr Amr will not be meeting one of the two warring parties. Summary. Local reports suggest Hamas has been offering some kind of ceasefire for several days, only to be rebuffed by Israel, which clearly wants to inflict as much damage as it can on the militants before the fighting is finally brought to a close. The Israeli strikes followed Palestinian rocket attacks targeting the southern Israeli cities of Beersheba and Ashkelon just after midnight on Monday. These episodes follow a familiar pattern: Israel presses home its undoubted military advantage until the international outcry over civilian casualties, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, demand that the operation end. A ceasefire which would bring to an end 10 days of bombing across the Israel-Gaza border could be reached "within a day or so", according to a senior Hamas official. The work of building Palestine can start.". Any messages for Hamas will have to go through traditional interlocutors, such as Egypt or Qatar. The decision to call a truce came after international pressure and was welcomed by the UK, US, Pakistan, and other countries as well as the United Nations. The worst violence in years between Israel and the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip has seen dozens killed. Israel said it hit facilities belonging to the militant group Hamas and several commanders' homes, but main roads and power lines were also damaged. In Israel's estimation, we have not reached that point yet. Israel's security Cabinet approved a tentative cease-fire after 11 days of fighting with Hamas in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. Israel bombarded Gaza with air strikes and Palestinian militants kept up cross-border rocket fire, with no firm sign on Wednesday of any imminent ceasefire despite international calls to end more than a week of fighting. May this ceasefire be the 1st step towards peace in Palestine,” he added. Yes, we are sorry and sad for our people who lost their houses and their relatives, but despite that, we will celebrate," Ahmed Amer, 30, told the Associated Press. Clashes spread to the mixed Arab-Jewish port city of Jaffa, next to Tel Aviv. Pressure mounts on Biden to call for a ceasefire in Gaza as violence escalates. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Thursday its acceptance of Egypt’s proposal for a “mutual ceasefire without any conditions, which will take effect later”. The two leaders spoke six times in … A ceasefire came into force in the Gaza Strip after Egypt and Qatar brokered an agreement between Israel and Hamas to halt 11 days of bloodshed. Israel says more than 3,000 rockets have been fired into the country over the past week. The president also noted that Israel and Hamas, the political party and militant group that has governed Gaza since 2006, had agreed to a ceasefire, set to take effect within hours of his address. There were no immediate reports of casualties following the strikes. When the deadline passes without an Israeli response, rockets are fired towards Jerusalem for the first time in years. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas reached a cease-fire on XXday to halt the conflict after nearly two weeks of fighting that left hundreds dead and much of the Gaza … Biden hailed the truce and commended Netanyahu after the Israeli leader confirmed ithe cease-fire by phone Thursday evening. Hamas, which controls Gaza, began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes. 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EXPLAINER: What was the outcome of the latest Gaza war? A police officer said though they were acting in response. More than 120 Palestinians and some 17 police are injured. By Paul Adams, BBC diplomatic correspondent, Jerusalem. Hamas - Mr Abbas' Islamist rivals who control Gaza and were running in the elections - react angrily to the postponement. Hundreds of ultra-nationalist Jews shouting “Death to Arabs” march towards Damascus Gate in protest at the Arab assaults on Jews. Rockets are fired from Gaza at Israel, which responds with air strikes after a relative period of calm between Israel and the Palestinian enclave. By Colm Quinn , … Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that the campaign carried out in Gaza was an “exceptional success”. Riad Al-Malki told reporters on the sidelines of an emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on … BBC's deceit to Diana damaged my parents - … Israeli security forces fired stun grenades and tear gas at Palestinians shortly after Friday prayers. Fresh violence has broken out at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem just 12 hours after a ceasefire was announced to end the conflict between Israel and Gaza. The march is due to pass through predominantly Arab parts of the Old City in what is seen by Palestinians as a deliberate provocation. The Israeli military said 4,340 rockets were launched at Israel by militants over the course of the 11 days - by far more than the total number of rockets fired during the entire seven-week war in 2014. GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel bombarded Gaza with air strikes and Palestinian militants kept up cross-border rocket fire, with no firm sign on Wednesday of any imminent ceasefire despite international calls to end more than a week of fighting. Police and protesters clash at Damascus Gate, with police using water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas against crowds of Palestinians, some throwing stones. The Israeli military said more than 50 warplanes conducted a 20-minute attack on the Gaza Strip shortly before dawn on Monday. Ayesha Najjar, 32, one of the many women who took part in the march, said she was tear-gassed when the confrontation began. Biden Expresses ‘Support for Cease-Fire’ in Gaza Palestinians across Israel and the West Bank plan to go on strike today to protest the ongoing bombardment. He pleaded for an immediate end to the "utterly appalling" violence. Published Mon, May 17 2021 1:36 PM EDT. There was no immediate reports of injuries but security forces arrested a number of Palestinians. In the days that follow, police and protesters repeatedly clash at the site as it becomes a focal point for Palestinian anger. Describing previous air strikes over the weekend, she said: "People we know [were killed], people we work with... ordinary people, professional people, young and old.". Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire, in the southern Gaza Strip, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the “UK continues to support efforts to bring about peace” and welcomes the end of “the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life.”. It follows a month of spiralling tensions before open conflict broke out. People celebrate the ceasefire in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. President Abbas' Fatah faction and Hamas condemn the looming threatened eviction of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem by Jewish settlers ahead of a planned court hearing. "Today is when Eid al-Fitr begins. T oday the streets of Gaza City are full of cheering in response to the news of a ceasefire. Violence at the holy site was a main trigger for the Gaza conflict. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims of the violence & their loved ones. Militants in Gaza begin sending incendiary balloons into Israel over successive days, causing dozens of fires. I had to be at peace with it," Najla Shawa, a Palestinian humanitarian worker and mother of two, told the BBC. Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday that his country was "going to great lengths to reach a ceasefire... and hope still exists". Ten people, including two children, have been killed in rocket attacks on Israel in the past week. As it came into effect at 2am local time, thousands left their homes, gathering to chant Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest), firing rifles into the air, and singing and dancing for a truce that they claimed as a victory. President Biden has publicly backed Israel's right to self-defence, but he has said his administration is working with all parties to achieve de-escalation. UPDATE: Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire. Fresh violence has broken out at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem just 12 hours after a ceasefire was announced to end the conflict between Israel and Gaza. "My hope is that we'll see this coming to conclusion sooner rather than later," he said of the fighting last week. Ceasefire still elusive in Israel-Gaza conflict. Gaza … Under pressure, Biden works for ceasefire in Israel-Gaza violence. Israel and Hamas will cease fire across the Gaza Strip border as of Friday, the United States said, bringing a potentially tenuous halt to the … Violence around Damascus Gate and elsewhere in East Jerusalem continues nightly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks are continuing with "full force" and will "take time". Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies, Israeli security forces and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestinian officials in Gaza, meanwhile, said the overnight strikes had caused widespread power cuts and damaged hundreds of homes and other buildings. Read about our approach to external linking. The worst violence in years between Israelis and Palestinians ended after close to 250 people were killed on both sides in airstrikes, leaving many injured and a trail of destruction that has turned many major landmarks into rubble. Violence at Al-Aqsa mosque just hours after Israel and Hamas announce ceasefire, Defence and Security Editor, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, People gesture near the rubble of a damaged building as Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire in Gaza. Israel says more than 130 militants are among the dead - but Hamas has not recognised this. GAZA CITY — As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect at 2 a.m. local time on Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Gaza … Hamas accepted “mutual and simultaneous” ceasefire but warned it still had its "hands on the trigger". Read about our approach to external linking. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? It is easy to work out who the immediate winners are from last night’s ceasefire. It was not immediately clear what set off the trouble. In Tel Al-Hawa in Gaza City, people called out the name of Hamas’s top military commander Deif, who is a prime military target for Israel, chanting “with souls and blood, we redeem you, Deif”. ". The country's Iron Dome defence system is said to have intercepted 90% of the rockets. The pre-dawn raids on Gaza were some of the heaviest seen since the fighting began a week ago. Then the police came into the compound and started using smoke on us, it got into my eyes and my mouth. UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said: "I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza & Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the group has “crossed a red line” and Israel retaliates with air strikes, killing three Hamas fighters. In a news conference on Sunday, he admitted there were "pressures" but thanked US President Joe Biden, in particular, for his support. Palestinians celebrate Gaza cease-fire but Israelis are cautious about future May 21, 2021 01:43 Earlier Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin … Pakistan, an ally of the Palestinians, also welcomed the ceasefire. “This all began because they started throwing stones,” said one police officer. Israel has unleashed another wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip and Hamas fired more rockets as expectations rise that a ceasefire could be reached. Tear gas was fired and stones thrown at the holy site, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. “I commend Egypt & Qatar for the efforts carried out, in close contact w/ the @UN, to help restore calm. Palestinian discontent had been stoked earlier in the day when President Mahmoud Abbas called off planned elections, implicitly blaming Israel over voting arrangements for Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Israel's security cabinet has unanimously approved a ceasefire with Palestinian militants in Gaza. A continuing exchange of rocket-fire and air strikes quickly escalates into the fiercest hostilities between the two sides since they fought a war in 2014. © 2021 BBC. Watch celebrations in Gaza as Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect Homes and farms overrun by 'plague' of mice in Australia Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire. US cops mocked dying man's plea: 'I can't breathe'2, PM concerned after inquiry into BBC Diana deceit3, Aid arrives in conflict-torn Gaza as truce holds4, Prison guards spared jail over Epstein suicide5, Bodies found in garden of El Salvador ex-policeman6, Apple boss Tim Cook testified in Epic legal row7, Brown bears shot dead after enclosure escape8, US state overturns decades-old yoga ban in schools9, 'A meme that almost made me quit my family WhatsApp group'10. But during the 11 days of the aerial bombardment by Israel, the streets told a … The fighting began after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in occupied East Jerusalem that culminated in clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. Bomb targeting Islamist leader's car kills 6 in Pakistan, The Latest: EU hails Gaza cease-fire, calls for peace talks, Violence at Al-Aqsa mosque hours after Israel and Hamas ceasefire, Booking.com discount code: 10% with Level 1 Genius membership, Use this Debenhams discount and save up to 70% on men's lines - Spring offer, Ideal World promo: up to 30% off garden essentials, Take £12 off your £120 purchase using this AliExpress promo code, Up to 20% discount in this week's top offers at Argos. The UN Security Council has been unable to agree on a public statement in recent days and none was forthcoming after Sunday's meeting. Muslims both in Israel and Gaza celebrated last week’s lost Eid al-Fitr by gathering in mosques to offer prayers and meeting at one another’s homes to feast. Israeli leaders said they were pressing on with an offensive against Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but an Israeli military spokesman … VideoEurovision fans return for final, A rare insight into Putin’s troubled childhood. “We were not threatening them at all, we were singing and saying some slogans. The scenes at Al-Aqsa came after scenes of jubilation in the early hours of Friday as Palestinians in Gaza flocked to the streets in large numbers on news of the ceasefire. Israel has thanked the US for blocking a UN statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Later on after Friday prayers - the last of Ramadan - major clashes erupt at the al-Aqsa mosque compound, injuring more than 200 people. It is the ordinary people of Israel and Gaza who have … Israeli soldiers also fired artillery from positions near the Gaza border. Officials in Gaza said Sunday had been the deadliest day of the flare-up so far, with emergency workers spending the day trying to rescue people from under debris. One rocket hit an apartment building in the city of Ashdod and several people were reportedly hurt. There has been a lull in hostilities in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants said that a ceasefire … Clashes erupt in East Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israeli police. Israel is pushing on with its war on Gaza despite growing international calls for a ceasefire and a mounting death toll in the besieged Palestinian territory. Mr Biden's envoy, Hady Amr, has been in Israel since Friday, discussing the crisis with Israeli officials. International calls for a ceasefire have continued to mount. On 13 May the festival was marked instead by aerial bombardments and clashes with police. Lynn Hastings, UN deputy special co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the BBC that she had appealed to Israeli authorities to allow the UN to bring in fuel and supplies but was told it was not safe. But some have caused damage to cars and buildings, including the Yad Michael synagogue in Ashkelon, where a hole was blasted through the wall just before a Sunday evening service for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Israel announces unconditional ceasefire with Hamas, ending Gaza combat After 11 days, Israel's war with Hamas comes to an end in a fragile ceasefire mediated by Egypt. Israel's Supreme Court postpones the hearing on the Sheikh Jarrah case following calls to delay it because of the growing unrest. Hamas calls on Arabs to form “human shields of resistance” there. Palestinian anger has been inflamed by an annual Jerusalem Day march planned for later in the day by hundreds of Israeli nationalists to celebrate Israel's capture of East Jerusalem in 1967. Netanyahu says Gaza strikes to continue 'at force', Two killed in collapse at West Bank synagogue, Four arrested in anti-Semitism video investigation, Aid arrives in conflict-torn Gaza as truce holds.