Palestinian militant groups announce ceasefire with Israel

Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel today after a severe escalation of violence threatened to descend into full-blown war.

  

The groups, including Hamas, issued a joint statement saying they would abide by the ceasefire as long as Israel did the same.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's



office and the military had not commented on the announcement. The violent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza was the worst since a 2014 war. Seven Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the course of some 24 hours as Israeli strikes targeted militants and flattened buildings while sending fireballs and plumes of smoke into the sky.