GAZA CITY: Shell-shocked Gazans on Monday sifted through the rubble of three days of deadly conflict between Israel and an armed group as a truce held and life slowly returned to normal with power restored.
The sole power plant in the blockaded enclave “started working to generate electricity” after a two-day shutdown, distributor spokesman Mohammed Thabet said, hours after fuel trucks for the plant entered Gaza.
A ceasefire reached late on Sunday has raised hopes of ending the intense fighting that killed 44 people according to Gaza’s health ministry, with 15 children among the dead.
The power shutdown on Saturday had sparked concern about the impact on hospitals treating casualties and on other vital services, amid the worst fighting in Gaza since an 11-day war last year.
The Israeli military said roads would slowly reopen in the border area.
“It was decided to gradually lift the restrictions,” which have seen Israelis living near Gaza remain close to their bomb shelters, the army said.
Across areas hit by air strikes in Gaza, Palestinians tried to salvage belongings from the rubble of shattered homes and to start clearing the debris.
Mohammed Alai, who lives east of Gaza City, described the situation as “tragic and tough”.
“We have a lot of martyrs and wounded, and devastation and destruction, but Gaza is tending to its wounds,” he said.
HUNDREDS WOUNDED
US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire and thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his country’s role in brokering it.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office late on Sunday thanked “Egypt for its efforts” as it agreed to the truce, but said that “if the ceasefire is violated”, Israel “maintains the right to respond strongly”.
The armed group also accepted the truce but said it too “reserves the right to respond” to any aggression.
Starting on Friday, Israel had launched a heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of the group’s positions in Gaza, leading the gunmen to fire hundreds of rockets in retaliation.
In addition to those killed, Gazan health officials said 360 people were wounded in the Palestinian enclave, which is run by the Hamas.
A senior Israeli diplomatic official said on Monday that “most of the civilians that were killed in Gaza were killed by gunmen rockets” that fell short or misfired.
The armed group on Monday said 12 of its leaders and members had been killed.
Three people in Israel were wounded by shrapnel, while 31 others were lightly hurt while running for safety, emergency services said.
The group member Mohammad al Hindi said the ceasefire deal “contains Egypt’s commitment to work towards the release of two prisoners”.
They were named as Bassem al Saadi, a senior figure in the group’s political wing who was recently arrested in the occupied West Bank, and Khalil Awawdeh, also in Israeli detention. — AFP
