An open-ended cease-fire between Israel and the Islamist terror militia Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip went into effect at 7 PM on Tuesday, the 12th such agreement since the start of recent hostilities. Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar led a “victory” celebration in Gaza City which saw thousands of Palestinians pouring in the streets to declare their defeat of Israel in the 51 day conflict. “We struck the theory of Israeli national security and managed to deter them without being deterred ourselves,” Zahar told the crowd, encouraging them to prepare for similar events in the West Bank and Jerusalem in what he called a “project of liberation.” Meanwhile, Israeli officials from across the political spectrum expressed dissatisfaction with the cease-fire, with Eshkol Regional Council head Haim Yellin telling residents of the Gaza border region who have fled their homes during the crisis not to return right away. Read More
