After the worst fighting in years, an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, and US President Joe Biden promised to provide humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians poured into Gaza's streets, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling. The triumph of the resistance over the Occupation (Israel) was lauded by mosque loudspeakers.
Palestinian missile salvos began throughout the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, and Israel carried out at least one air attack.
Each side said it was prepared to retaliate if the other broke the truce. Cairo announced that two delegations would be sent to observe the truce.
The violence began on May 10, sparked by Palestinians' outrage over what they saw as Israeli restrictions on their rights in Jerusalem, including police clashes with demonstrators at Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan.
Because of the war, many Palestinians in Gaza were unable to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr festival at the end of Ramadan. In Gaza, postponed Eid al-Fitr meals were served instead on Friday.
In Israel, radio stations that had been broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week went back to playing pop music and folk songs.
TOLL OF DEATH
According to Gaza health officials, aerial bombardments killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, and injured over 1,900 others. Israel claimed to have killed at least 160 fighters.
The death toll in Israel has been set at 12, with hundreds of people injured as a result of rocket attacks that sparked confusion and sent people fleeing to shelters.
The war was portrayed by Hamas, the Islamist militant group that governs Gaza, as active resistance against a militarily and economically stronger foe.
In Israel, relief came with a sting.
"It's nice that the dispute will end," Eiv Izyaev, a 30-year-old software engineer in Tel Aviv, said. "Unfortunately, I don't feel like we have much time until the next escalation."
Biden had urged Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to pursue de-escalation amid mounting international concern, while Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations attempted to mediate.
Biden expressed condolences to bereaved Israelis and Palestinians in a televised address on Thursday, saying that the US will collaborate with the UN "and other international partners" to provide "rapid humanitarian assistance" for Gaza and its reconstruction.
"In a manner that does not permit Hamas to literally restock its military arsenal," Biden said, assistance will be coordinated with the Palestinian Authority, which is led by Hamas' rival, President Mahmoud Abbas, and is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
In the West, Hamas is considered a terrorist organization, as is Israel, which it refuses to recognize.
STRUGGLE FOR Control
According to analysts, one of Hamas' main goals in its rocket campaign was to marginalize Abbas by portraying itself as the protector of Palestinians in Jerusalem's eastern sector, which they want for a future state.
The rocket attack was dubbed "Sword of Jerusalem" by Hamas, emphasizing the connection.
Throughout the 11-day war, Abbas, 85, remained a minor figure. He managed to get his first phone call with Biden during the crisis - four months after Biden took office - but his western-backed Palestinian Authority has little leverage in Gaza, and he made no public comments after the cease-fire was declared.
In comments reported by Palestinian media, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, an Abbas appointee, said, "We welcome the progress of the international efforts led by Egypt to stop the Israeli aggression against our citizens in Gaza Strip."
Some Palestinians in Ramallah, Abbas's West Bank heartland, waved green Hamas flags, which could be an alarming sign for Abbas.
Hamas had previously requested that any cease-fire in Gaza be followed by Israeli troop withdrawals from Jerusalem. According to a Reuters report, the cease-fire does not include such a provision.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken plans to fly to the Middle East to meet with Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders to negotiate recovery efforts, according to the State Department.
"Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a duty beyond the restoration of calm to resolve the root causes of the conflict," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters with serious dialogue.
"Gaza is an essential part of the future Palestinian state," he said, adding that "no effort should be spared" to achieve true national reconciliation and end the division.
