Militants in the Gaza Strip offered Israel on Thursday a cease-fire to all rocket blasts, just hours after the Jewish nation unleashed a torrent of attacks that targeted 29 Palestinian sites — many of which were confirmed hits.
Israel’s attack followed one by al Quds, the militant wing of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad, that took place earlier this week and included dozens of rocket strikes. Neither of the strikes left anyone dead, The Associated Press reported.
But Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batch said on the tail of Israel’s attack that struck at several key Hamas leadership locations that his group would accept the terms of an Egypt-brokered cease-fire — so long as Israel agreed, AP said.
“After the Egyptian brothers initiated contacts with us in the past few hours, we agreed to restore the calm,” he said, AP reported. “As long as [Israel] honors the calm, we will honor the calm and instructions are being given right now to al Quds brigades, our military wing, about this understanding.”
Israeli officials declined to comment about the reported cease-fire, but Egyptian authorities said intelligence agents had been in touch with key leaders on both sides and the peace deal was solid, AP reported.
Islamic Jihad receives backing from Iran, AP said.
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• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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