UN Special Envoy Commends Egypt For Preventing War Amid Israel-Gaza Attacks - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th November, 2019) UN Special Coordinator for the middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov praised the efforts led by Egypt that prevented the recent attacks from and against the Gaza Strip from developing into a war, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group had reached a ceasefire agreement. The truce, brokered by Egypt, went into effect at 5:30 a.m. local time.

"Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator, said today that Egypt and the United Nations had worked hard to prevent the most dangerous escalation in and around Gaza from leading to war," Dujarric said.

Dujarric said Mladenov has called on all parties to demonstrate restraint in the coming days and avoid bloodshed.

The escalation began early on Tuesday after Israeli airstrikes killed Baha Abu Al-Atta, a commander of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, triggering a fierce response.

The Gaza authorities reported that 34 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 injured.

The Israeli military said late on Wednesday the Palestinian militants had fired about 360 rockets on Israel since Tuesday morning.