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Israel and Hamas Agree to Gaza Ceasefire After 11 Days of Intense Fighting

HeadlineMay 21, 2021

Israel and Hamas agreed Thursday to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, bringing a halt to Israel’s 11-day shelling and bombing campaign that devastated the Gaza Strip, killing 243 Palestinians, including 66 children. Rockets fired by Hamas killed 12 people in Israel, including two children. Residents of Gaza and the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem broke out in celebrations early Friday morning as the ceasefire took hold.

Bodies are still being pulled from the rubble. Al Jazeera reports at least nine bodies have been found today, including one of a 3-year-old girl. Those who survived the assault — especially children — will carry psychological scars for years. This is 31-year-old Gaza father Mohammad al-Masharawi.

Mohammad al-Masharawi: “My children are having nightmares at night. They’re not making any sense because of the fear. They are suffering from hysteria. My little one takes medicine to be able to sleep, because she is always tired from the bombing and the strange sounds that we hear. It is crazy. We can’t stand it anymore.”

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