Gaza death toll passes 1,000 as 12-hour cease-fire begins
In the midst of more than three weeks of near-constant conflict, Gaza residents are taking advantage of today's 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire to gather supplies, inspect damaged homes, and recover bodies from the rubble, NPR reports.
The cease-fire began at 8:00 a.m. today, although The Associated Press notes that Israeli forces are continuing to search for Hamas-built tunnels, which the army considers "a strategic threat." Meanwhile, the Palestinian health ministry reported that the death toll has passed 1,000 — and that most of those killed were civilians. Thirty-seven Israeli troops, and three Israeli civilians, have reportedly been killed in the conflict so far as well.
The lull in fighting comes less than a day after Israeli cabinet members "unanimously rejected" U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's week-long cease-fire proposal (Hamas leaders had not responded to the proposal at all). And neither side appears to consider the 12-hour cease-fire a beginning to calmer negotiations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"At the end of the operation, Hamas will have to think very hard if it is worth it to taunt us in the future," Moshe Yaalon, Israel's defense minister, told the AP on Friday.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Bailouts: Why Trump is rescuing ArgentinaFeature The White House approved a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina
-
James indictment: Trump’s retributionFeature Trump pursues charges against Letitia James in revenge for her civil fraud lawsuit
-
Conversion therapy: Free speech or quackery?Feature A Christian therapist challenges Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, claiming it violates the First Amendment
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified filesSpeed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DCSpeed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operationsSpeed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rulesSpeed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
