2023-05-15 12:38:00
Israel will reopen the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip following a ceasefire agreement that came into effect after five days of fighting.
C. Roubini Chinnapa9 CTC, Vatican News
Some minor violations were reported to mediate, however a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) brokered by Egypt brought an immediate end to five days of violence.
However, Israel’s Defense Ministry said that the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only pedestrian crossing between Gaza and Israel, will now be open, along with the Erez crossing for lorries, after the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire took effect. At the same time, Israel announced that all security restrictions had been lifted. The United States welcomed the ceasefire and praised Cairo for brokering it. On Sunday, Pope Francis expressed support for the ceasefire and hoped it would last.
“Let the weapons be silenced, for weapons can never achieve security and stability. Rather, they only succeed in destroying any hope of peace,” the Pope told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for the Queen of Heaven.
Violence that escalated to death
The region has gone through a brutal week. In the heaviest fighting in months, 1,469 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel over the past five days. The Israeli military reported that two people were killed in the attacks. In response, Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes. At least 33 Palestinians were killed and more than 150 injured, Palestinian health officials said. At least 13 civilians were reportedly killed in the Gaza Strip, including women and children, the youngest of whom was a four-year-old child. Authorities in Jerusalem said the ceasefire meant “peace will be met with calm”, but Israel said the country would defend itself if it was attacked or threatened.
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