Mourners attend the funerals of Palestinians killed in recent Israeli air strikes on Sunday August 7, 2022 in Gaza City. (Getty)

Ceasefire between Israel, Palestinians takes effect in Gaza after dozens killed

Gaza City: A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants has taken effect in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis.

The flare-up was the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militant groups since Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war last year, and adds to the destruction and misery that have plagued blockaded Gaza for years.

Egyptian officials said the truce began at 11.30pm Gaza time (6.30am AEST). Israeli strikes and militant rockets continued in the minutes leading up to the beginning of the truce, and Israel said it would “respond strongly” if the ceasefire was violated.

Israeli aircraft have pummelled targets in Gaza since Friday, while the Iran-backed Palestinian Jihad militant group has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. The risk of the cross-border fighting turning into a full-fledged war remained as long as no truce was reached. Israel says some of the dead were killed by misfired rockets.

The violence has killed 43 Palestinians, including 15 children and four women.

Gaza’s ruling Hamas group remained on the sidelines, possibly because it fears Israeli reprisals and undoing economic understandings with Israel, including Israeli work permits for thousands of Gaza residents, that bolster its control.

Read the article by Fares Akram and Tia Goldenberg in The Age.