Gaza Clears Rubble, Buries Dead As Truce With Israel Holds

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, Aug 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Aug, 2022 ) :Shell-shocked Gazans on Monday sifted through the rubble of three days of deadly fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad as a truce held and life slowly returned to normal.

An Egypt-brokered ceasefire reached late Sunday ended the intense fighting that killed 46 people including 16 children and wounded 360 in the enclave, according to Gaza's health ministry, updating an earlier toll of 44.

Israel had since Friday launched a heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip, leading the militants to fire more than a thousand rockets in retaliation, according to the Israeli army.

As relative calm returned to Gaza, and electricity was restored, Palestinians tried to salvage their belongings from the rubble of shattered homes and to clear the debris.

"We received the news of the ceasefire with joy and happiness and we went back to our work," said Gaza shopkeeper Hazem Douima. "We did not want more bloodshed."