Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Gaza ceasefire announced May 6 /update 6

Event

Several Palestinian officials confirmed that Palestinian and Israeli authorities agreed to a ceasefire regarding violence in and near the Gaza Strip effective 04:30 (local time) on Monday, May 6. The agreement was reached in the early hours of Monday with support from Egypt. As of 05:15, it is not clear how long the ceasefire will remain in effect, though no rockets have been fired since approximately 02:30, according to Israeli media. Further violence, including rocket attacks, airstrikes, and other cross-border exchanges, are possible in the coming hours and days.

Context

At least four Israelis and 23 Palestinians have been killed in the recent bout of fighting, which began on Friday, May 3. Gazan militants have fired at least 600 rockets into southern Israel and hundreds of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes were launched over the weekend.

The flare-up in tensions comes after a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) sniper wounded two IDF troops on the Israeli side of the border on May 3. The IDF retaliated by launching an airstrike, killing two Hamas militants; Israeli troops also reportedly killed two Palestinian protesters participating in weekly demonstrations near the border fence. In general, rocket fire and strikes between Israel and Gaza have intensified since December 2017.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to monitor developments to the situation and seek immediate shelter in the event of a rocket attack.

Due to the extant terrorist threat, travelers in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.