Islamic Jihad Declares Ceasefire After Firing 30 Rockets at Israel, Massive Retaliation


Palestinian terrorist group Islamic Jihad said on Saturday that it would halt attacks into Israel from the Gaza Strip after firing the heaviest rocket salvos across the border since August.

One of the largest armed groups operating in Gaza, Islamic Jihad said it fired the rockets in retaliation for Israel’s killing of four Palestinian rioters on Friday.

Israel in response struck dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

A spokesman for the militants said an Egyptian-mediated truce had been reached.

“After contacts between the Islamic Jihad leadership and the brothers in Egypt it was agreed that a comprehensive ceasefire will begin immediately,” spokesman Daoud Shehab said. “The Islamic Jihad will abide by the ceasefire if the occupation (Israel) does the same.”

Egyptian security officials have been talking separately to Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an attempt to restore calm along the border.

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined comment on Shehab’s remarks and there was no immediate response from other Israeli officials.

Earlier, Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus accused Syria and Iran of involvement in the rocket attack.

“Orders and incentives were given from Damascus with a clear involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards al-Quds force,” Conricus told reporters. “Our response is not limited geographically.”

Israel regularly accuses Iran of aiding Gaza militants, but rarely levels the charge in connection with a specific rocket attack.


Shehab dismissed the allegation as “an Israeli attempt to escape its responsibility” for Friday’s riot deaths.

There were no casualties reported from the heavy exchange of fire in either Israel or Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist Hamas group.

The Israeli military said it holds Hamas accountable for the events in Gaza. It stated that its air force hit more than 80 targets including one used by Hamas as a headquarters, in response to the more than 30 rockets launched into Israel. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.

The flare-up began after the four Palestinians were killed on Friday during weekly riots. Israel said its forces were attacked with explosive devices and some rioters breached the border.

Palestinians have been rioting along the frontier since March 30, demanding an end to an Israeli blockade and the right to return to lands from which they fled when Israel was founded in 1948.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 213 Gazans have been killed by Israeli forces during the riots. An Israeli soldier was killed by a Palestinian sniper.

About two million Palestinians are packed into the Gaza Strip, which is in a deep economic crisis. Israel says it keeps a naval blockade and tight control of its land crossings with the enclave for security reasons.

Israel has struck scores of times inside Syria during the seven-year civil war there, at what it has said were Iranian targets or Teheran’s transfers of weapons to Hezbollah fighters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a rare visit to Oman on Friday. Israel and some Gulf states share an interest in curbing Iran’s influence in the region.

Oman’s foreign affairs minister Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah said on Saturday the sultanate was offering ideas to help Israel and the Palestinians come together but was not acting as mediator.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014.

Reuters and Algemeiner Staff



  1. they used up all their ROCKETS, so they declared a CEASEFIRE.
    As soon as Iran will ship a new supply of ROCKETS & MORTARS they will change the “ceasefire” to “SHEESFIRE”

    Hasem Yerachem……………………….

  2. Very difficult tp understand why the jewish state gives in to these PHONY claims!!!! After shooting thirty four
    rockets they claim a ceasefire????? What a joke??? Why does the IDF take issue with these False claims???
    High time for the IDF to totally eradicate and retake the territory which was given to them by Ariel Sharon and lead to DISASTER!!! A pity that Sharon did not survive to see the CHURBAN that he caused with his government’s “good gesture”. It not only was NOT GOOD AT ALL , but rather disastrous. Attacks are constantly coming from Gaza and look what became of the Gush Katif lands???? Also many who were mercilessly driven from their homes and built-up communities in August 2005 , STILL have no permanent dwellings – 13 years later!!!!!!!!!!

  3. A ceasefire until they can reassess their loses ,reorganize and send another set of missiles into Israel!!!
    Why are we such FOOLS!?!?!?

  4. Take Gaza back………It was a failed experiment…………..send the terrorists back to where they came from or to Jordan which is the official palestinian state. ………. Ahhhhhhhhh! Quiet for a change……


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