Israel, Hamas Both Claim Victory in Cease-Fire
Voice of America
Israel and Hamas both claimed victory Friday as a shaky cease-fire held after 11 days of fighting.
Thousands of residents took to the streets of Gaza when the cease-fire took effect at 2 a.m. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. Spontaneous celebrations also broke out in east Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a television address Friday that the military operation had damaged Hamas' ability to launch missiles at Israel, killed more than 200 militants and destroyed parts of Hamas' tunnel network. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have acknowledged only 20 fighters killed. "Hamas can't hide anymore. That's a great achievement for Israel," Netanyahu said.More Related News