Raucous celebrations break out in Gaza, West Bank & East Jerusalem as ceasefire takes effect (VIDEOS)
Palestinians were seen in jubilant celebration as a ceasefire deal with Tel Aviv came into force after 11 days of deadly fighting, with crowds taking to the streets across Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem to cheer the truce.
Street parades and impromptu fireworks displays erupted in Palestinian cities early on Friday morning, hours after a ceasefire agreement mediated by Egypt was accepted by Israel and armed groups in Gaza.
Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem celebrate the ceasefire with Israel by setting off fireworks, going on demonstrations and expressing jubilant belated Eid prayers, a Muslim celebration Palestinians in Gaza marked last week amid heavy Israeli bombardment pic.twitter.com/TlVy5mHQ7J
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 21, 2021
Celebrations from the Streets of #Gaza for #gazavictory & #GazaCeasefire. ❤🖤💚✌ pic.twitter.com/nfPuBTUiYx
— Anjum Amara / انجم عماره 🇵🇸 (@Bint_e_Sadiq) May 21, 2021
Throngs of revelers were seen marching through Rafah and other cities in the hours before dawn, many hoisting Palestinian flags and chanting slogans to celebrate the armistice, which took effect around 2am local time.
رفح الان #غزةpic.twitter.com/zuR9vOsM39
— اسلام (@Islam_khatib) May 20, 2021
عرس ,, فرحة ,, في أرض العزة غزة الآن .. الجميع في الشوارع يحتفل , الحمد لله 🎉🇵🇸#فلسطين_تنتصرpic.twitter.com/B3kQAZ5L4h
— تيما (@timaodehh) May 20, 2021
A party-like atmosphere also broke out in occupied East Jerusalem, which saw its own crowded gatherings and noisy fireworks shows.
Palestinians celebrate the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in East Jerusalem#Palestine#PalestiniansLivesMatterpic.twitter.com/E8rx5eGPfI
— Daily News Egypt (@DailyNewsEgypt) May 21, 2021
חגיגות וזיקוקים בכל מזרח ירושלים לכבוד הפסקת האש. הקולות נשמעים היטב בכל העיר. קצת קשה להתווכח מי ניצח פה. pic.twitter.com/Vq7RryvBHP
— نير حسون Nir Hasson ניר חסון (@nirhasson) May 20, 2021
The city served as a flashpoint in the last round of violence, with days of heated protests over upcoming evictions of Palestinian residents meeting harsh police crackdowns. An Israeli incursion at Al-Aqsa mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam, prompted the first volley of projectiles from Hamas militants last week, after which Tel Aviv pounded Gaza with hundreds of airstrikes as rockets continued to fly.
🔴🇵🇸 #GAZA: Victory celebrations from the sky of Al-Issawiya. #غزه_تنتصرpic.twitter.com/FPbFuEpUqM
— Haidar Akarar (@HaidarAkarar) May 20, 2021
In the West Bank, which also remains under Israeli military occupation, crowds were seen on the streets of Ramallah, while a small convoy of vehicles waved flags through the Dheisheh refugee camp, located near the city of Bethlehem.
Celebrations in the streets of #Gaza & #Ramallah in the West Bank after the ceasefire goes into effect pic.twitter.com/RXgT8aYjuf
— Biesan Abu-Kwaik بيسان أبو كويك (@BiesanAK) May 20, 2021
Celebrations in the Dheisheh camp in the "West Bank" of the victory of the resistance over the occupation.#غزه_تقاوم#غزه_تنتصرpic.twitter.com/INAxgDvHPF
— Haidar Akarar (@HaidarAkarar) May 21, 2021
At least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, were killed over 11 days of fighting, while nearly 2,000 were injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israeli officials say 12 citizens perished, among them a soldier and two youths.
Around 450 buildings across the Gaza Strip were destroyed or severely damaged in Israeli air raids, including apartment blocks, media offices, six hospitals, nine health clinics and the territory’s main Covid-19 testing and vaccination site, according to the UN’s humanitarian agency. In marking the ceasefire deal on Thursday night, US President Joe Biden said Washington would assist in reconstruction efforts in coordination with international bodies, though he did not specify exactly what aid would be provided.
Celebrations in Palestine of the cease-fire decision in Gaza ❤️🇵🇸 #Palestine#freepalestinepic.twitter.com/GYEd3cUn5P
— Palestine (@Palesti74431478) May 21, 2021
#Photo The flags of the Palestinian factions join together in the West Bank celebrations of the resistance's victory in the Battle of the Sword of Jerusalem #Palestine # June # Palestine_Vincent pic.twitter.com/2qcHB7BjNZ
— 24/7 News (Middle East Observer) 🇸🇩 (@Boomdotnews) May 21, 2021
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