A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip has come into effect.
The ceasefire began early on Friday, bringing to an end 11 days of fighting in which more than 250 people were killed, most of them in Gaza.
Both Israel and Hamas claimed victory in the conflict.
A Hamas official told the Associated Press news agency that the ceasefire announced by Israel amounted to a “victory” for the Palestinian people.
The Israeli Political Security Cabinet said on Thursday night it had “unanimously accepted the recommendation” for a ceasefire.
“The political leaders emphasised that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign,” it said.
The fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza began on 10 May after weeks of rising Israeli-Palestinian tension in East Jerusalem that culminated in clashes at al-Aqsa, a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews.
Hamas began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes.
BBC
