UPDATE: Calm prevails in Gaza as Egypt-brokered ceasefire goes into effect

CAIRO - 13 May 2023: Calm has prevailed in Gaza as the Palestinian and Israeli sides have agreed on an Egypt-mediated ceasefire to end days of hostilities in the Gaza Strip starting today 10:00 AM local time, Al Qahera News reported.

The deal stipulates abidance by the ceasefire and refraining from the targeting of civilians and demolition of homes.

Moreover, Egypt has called for both parties to implement the ceasefire as scheduled, noting that it has intensified its communication with the two sides in this regard.

Head of Islamic Jihad's political department Mohamad Al-Hindi thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the staff that supervises the negotiations for their efforts, which led to the implementation of the ceasefire, Extra News reported.

Israeli aggression in Gaza since last Tuesday has killed 34 Palestinians, including children. The Palestinian factions have fired hundreds of rockets into Israel in retaliation.

Egypt has condemned the Israeli escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories and called for the international community and countries sponsoring the peace process to intervene in order to stop the Israeli assaults against the Palestinians.