Gaza's Islamic Jihad says truce restored after Israel confrontation

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/13/gaza-islamic-jihad-truce-israel-confrontation

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Gaza's Islamic Jihad group said on Thursday that an Egyptian-brokered truce had been restored following a brief but intense confrontation a day earlier when Israeli warplanes pounded the Strip after heavy cross-border rocket fire.

Although there was no immediate confirmation from Israel, the military said there had been no signs of rocket fire since mid-morning.

Over the course of 24 hours, Israel staged air strikes on Gaza after militants fired scores of rockets over the border in what was the worst confrontation since an eight-day conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in November 2012.

The violence – which reportedly injured three Palestinians but caused no casualties on either side – was denounced by both Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and British prime minister David Cameron at a news conference in Bethlehem.

"An Egyptian-brokered truce went into effect at 2pm (1200 GMT)," Islamic Jihad spokesman Daud Shihab told AFP.

Khaled al-Batsh, an Islamic Jihad leader, said Egyptian officials had contacted Hamas to "restore the truce" with Israel in force since November 2012.

An Israeli defence official, however, said he was "not familiar" with any ceasefire arrangement.

"They understand that if the fire continues, the Israeli reaction will be very harsh, and the last thing the Islamic Jihad and Hamas want now is an escalation and deterioration," he told AFP.

On Wednesday, Islamic Jihad's armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, launched a coordinated barrage of rockets at southern Israel that continued into the night, with the group putting the number at 130.

Israel responded by hitting 29 targets across Gaza overnight, including bases used by Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Another seven air strikes on the south followed during the morning.

The army said 65 of the rockets had struck Israel, five of which hit populated areas. Another three were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system. During the morning, two hit between the port cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon.