Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved a unilateral ceasefire to halt an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip.
Smoke rises on a building in Gaza City on May 13 after Israeli air strikes. (Photo: AP / PTI)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet has approved a unilateral ceasefire to halt an 11-day military operation in Gaza, Israeli media said late Thursday.
The decision to stop the offensive was made after strong pressure from the USA. Several reports said the ceasefire was due to go into effect at 2 a.m., just over three hours after the decision.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office was unable to immediately confirm the reports and there was no immediate response from Hamas.
Since fighting broke out on May 10, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes allegedly targeting Hamas’ infrastructure, including a vast network of tunnels. Hamas and other militant groups embedded in residential areas have fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, missing hundreds and intercepting most of the others.
At least 230 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials, while 12 people have died in Israel.
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