Cease-Fire Ends 5-Day Conflict Between Israel, Islamic Jihad in Gaza

A cease-fire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the Islamic Jihad armed group in the Gaza Strip came into effect late Saturday, ending five days of fighting that resulted in the deaths of 39 people. These include 33 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes, one Israeli and one Palestinian worker killed in Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, and four Palestinians killed in failed Palestinian rocket launches against Israel. The cease-fire came after over 1,200 rockets were launched from Gaza toward Israel, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Islamic Jihad commanders and infrastructure. The truce does not address the ongoing issues fueling the conflict, such as Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, the stockpiling of weapons by multiple militias in the Hamas-governed coastal enclave, and the ideologies and policies on both sides that have prevented the negotiation of a final-status peace agreement, as envisioned in the Oslo Accords. With a contentious Israeli march through the Arab quarters in Jerusalem’s Old City planned for next week, tensions could quickly escalate again.