Gaza celebrates, a day after Hamas and Israel call truce
24 Nov 2012 4:55 AM IST
An Egypt-brokered truce took hold in the Gaza Strip on Thursday or late on Wednesday night, after a week of bitter fighting between militant groups and Israel, with both sides claiming victory but remaining wary.
In Gaza City, there was a semblance of normality in the streets following a week of relentless Israeli air strikes and a night of celebrations that began as the truce came into effect at 1900 GMT (12:30 IST) on Wednesday night.
Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr of Egypt, which sponsored the marathon talks which resulted in the ceasefire, announced the cessation of hostilities at a joint news conference in Cairo with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. US President Barack Obama in praised Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi for mediating an end to the bloodshed.
As calm returned to the skies after a week of unstinting air strikes which began on 14 November when Israel killed a top Hamas commander, jubilant Gazans flooded into the streets to celebrate.
Gunfire and fireworks streaked into the dark night sky, where Israeli drones could still be heard buzzing overhead, as mosques broadcast the chants: ‘God is greatest’ and ‘The resistance is victorious.’ Some residents waved the green flags of Gaza's ruling Hamas movement and others the Egyptian flag, in tribute to the role Cairo played in the negotiations.
In Gaza City, there was a semblance of normality in the streets following a week of relentless Israeli air strikes and a night of celebrations that began as the truce came into effect at 1900 GMT (12:30 IST) on Wednesday night.
Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr of Egypt, which sponsored the marathon talks which resulted in the ceasefire, announced the cessation of hostilities at a joint news conference in Cairo with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. US President Barack Obama in praised Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi for mediating an end to the bloodshed.
As calm returned to the skies after a week of unstinting air strikes which began on 14 November when Israel killed a top Hamas commander, jubilant Gazans flooded into the streets to celebrate.
Gunfire and fireworks streaked into the dark night sky, where Israeli drones could still be heard buzzing overhead, as mosques broadcast the chants: ‘God is greatest’ and ‘The resistance is victorious.’ Some residents waved the green flags of Gaza's ruling Hamas movement and others the Egyptian flag, in tribute to the role Cairo played in the negotiations.
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