A ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip went into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time on Sunday night (20:30 GMT).
The ceasefire deal followed three days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, left at least 44 Palestinians dead and over 360 others injured.
Earlier reports said Israel and Islamic Jihad had agreed to an 11.30 p.m. ceasefire in Gaza. At the time, Egypt also urged both parties in Gaza to follow a reciprocal and comprehensive ceasefire.
Egypt is attempting to free Palestinian prisoners Khalil Awawdeh and Bassam Al-Saadi from Israeli custody, according to an official source reported by the Egyptian state news agency.
In December, Israeli authorities arrested Awawdeh and detained him without trial. According to reports, he has been on hunger strike for roughly a month while being held in jail without charges.
Saadi, a key member of the political wing of Islamic Jihad, was arrested by Israeli authorities in Jenin, West Bank, earlier this week. For its part, the Islamic Jihad verified the ceasefire in Gaza.
“A ceasefire has been established through Egyptian mediation and will go into effect at 23:30 Palestinian time,” Dauwd Shehab, spokesperson for the organization, told.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that the Gaza military attack “achieved its objectives.”
Israeli airplanes started airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday, claiming an “imminent threat of assaults” by Islamic Jihad, according to the army.
According to the Health Ministry, at least 15 children and four women were slain. Egypt was able to mediate a ceasefire to end 11 days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that killed more than 200 Palestinians and injured others. During the battle, Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza also claimed the lives of thirteen Israelis.
