Despite officially unconfirmed reports of a ceasefire between Israel and the extremist organization "Islamic Jihad", rocket fire continued to hit Israel on Thursday morning. The sirens howled, according to the Haaretz newspaper, minutes after a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad confirmed the ceasefire.
The UN-Middle East envoy Nikolai Mladenov called on Twitter all participants to "maximum restraint" on. "Egypt and the UN have been working hard to stop the most dangerous escalation in and around Gaza leading to war, and the coming hours and days will be crucial."
At first, Israel does not want to comment on the ceasefire
The militant Palestinians responded by shooting at Israel for the targeted killing of their military chief Baha Abu Al Ata by the Israeli Air Force. His wife also died in the night attack on Tuesday. Israel subsequently attacked dozens of Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip. (Read here an analysis of the events of the past days.)
The attacks by the Israeli army killed at least 31 Palestinians. According to Palestinian sources, most were militant Palestinians. The news agency dpa reports. The militant Palestinians fired at least 360 rockets at Israel. Dozens of people were injured in both Israel and the Gaza Strip.
A spokesman for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially refused to comment on reports of a ceasefire. Egypt and the United Nations had previously reportedly tried to calm the situation and provide intensive behind-the-scenes mediation.
From the point of view of Israeli security circles, the key question now is whether the Gaza-ruling radical Islamic Hamas will join the attacks. Then an even greater escalation would be feared. The "Islamic jihad" is ideologically even more radical than Hamas, but militarily weaker.
"Islamic jihad" has repeatedly committed bloody terrorist attacks in Israel
Netanyahu described the killed Abu Al Ata as the central mastermind of many rocket attacks and attacks from the Gaza Strip since last year. According to Israel, the "Islamic jihad" often acts against clear guidelines from Hamas.
Islamic jihad was founded in the late 1970s by Palestinian students in Egypt. Funded by Israel's archenemy Iran, the organization has dedicated itself to the destruction of Israel. Like Hamas, she has repeatedly committed bloody terrorist attacks in Israel.