Israel unleashes strikes on 'terror targets' in war-torn Gaza ahead of ceasefire
Share:
Israel has unleashed dozens of strikes on war-torn Gaza ahead of tomorrow's ceasefire coming into effect. After 15 months of conflict, the stricken enclave will wake to a pause in fighting. But today Israel ’s army said it had conducted 50 strikes on Friday against “terror targets” across the strip. Since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday at least 123 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service. The Israel-Hamas ceasefire will take effect at 6.30am GMT tomorrow, mediator Qatar said.
It will see the eventual release of dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel’s cabinet approved the deal early on Saturday. Brokered by mediators including the US, Qatar and Egypt in months of indirect talks between the warring sides, the ceasefire is the second truce in the devastating conflict.
Médecins Sans Frontières said: “The temporary ceasefire agreement in Gaza is a relief, but it arrives more than 465 days and 46,000 lives too late. While this temporary cessation of fighting and bombing must be both respected and long-term, this is only the beginning in addressing the immense humanitarian, psychological, and medical needs in Gaza. Israel must immediately end its blockade of Gaza and ensure a massive scale up of humanitarian aid into and across Gaza so that the hundreds of thousands of people in desperate conditions can begin their long road to recovery.”.
