Gaza sees calm after 50 deadly days

People in the besieged Gaza Strip experience calm as a truce in the blockaded enclave takes effect.

Reports on Wednesday said that calm prevailed in the Gaza Strip after 50 days of deadly violence in the blockaded sliver.

An Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Palestinians took effect in the war-torn sliver at 19:00 local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday.

Since the truce came into force, Israel has held back its deadly attacks on the besieged enclave.

Palestinian resistance fighters have in turn held back retaliatory rocket fire on Israel.

The truce stipulates the removal of the Israeli blockade as well as the provision of a guarantee that Palestinian demands will be met.

The ceasefire led to a wave of celebrations in Gaza on Tuesday. Though the residents in Gaza are still suffering from massive destruction, they are delighted at the prospect of the removal of the blockade.

Hamas said the deal marks a victory for Palestinians and called for mass rallies in the occupied West Bank.

Israel had been carrying out military attacks on Gaza since early July, inflicting heavy losses on the Palestinian land.

Almost 2,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including women, children and old people, were killed in 50 days of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Around 11,000 others were injured.

Tel Aviv says 69 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, but Hamas puts the number at more than 150.

IA/HJL