July 21 (UPI) — After the latest round of airstrikes and violence in Gaza and along its border with Israel, Palestinians and Israelis have agreed to a cease-fire pact, Hamas announced.
The two sides struck an agreement through brokering from Egypt and the United Nations, Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a YNet News report.
“Egyptian and international efforts have led to a return to the previous state of calm between the Occupation [a reference to Israel] and the Palestinian factions,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told CNN.
Since Hamas announced the agreement early Saturday, the only military activity along the border came in north Gaza, where an Israel Defense Force tank shot at Hamas in response to Palestinians crossing the border toward Israel.
Friday was a bloody day for the two sides. Israel launched airstrikes at Gaza to retaliate over what military officials said was gunfire from Hamas earlier in the day. Four Palestinians died. An IDF soldier was also killed Friday, when a “terrorist squad shot at IDF troops” near south Gaza, the IDF said.
It has been less than a week since the last cease-fire agreement was reached between the Palestinians and Israelis.
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