Israel, Hamas reportedly agree to ceasefire after 12 hour spike in violence

Palestinians to postpone weekly Gaza border protest

The Palestinian committee that organizes weekly protests on the Gaza border has decided “to postpone” today’s protests “out of concern for our people and in preparation for” a much larger protest on March 30, the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center reports.

March 30 marks Land Day, the date Palestinians commemorate the Israeli government’s expropriation of Arab-owned land in the Galilee in 1976.

New Zealand Jewish Council says ‘sickened’ by deadly mosque attacks

The New Zealand Jewish Council sends condolences and offer of support in the wake of deadly attacks on New Zealand mosques.

Organization says it is “sickened and devastated” by attacks in Christchurch and offers assistance.

“We offer our full assistance and support to the Muslim community and stand united with it against the scourge of terrorism and racism,” the statement reads.

At least 40 people were killed and 20 injured in armed assaults by a suspected white nationalist on two crowded Christchurch mosques.

Palestinian media reports: Latest escalation between Hamas and Israel is over

Palestinian media reports that the latest escalation between Hamas and Israel has come to a close.

The reports quote Hamas officials saying that the Egyptian-led mediation efforts, which began late last evening, bore fruit, and that calm has been restored in and around the coastal enclave.

IDF air strikes said to include hit on Hamas’s UAV facility

The IDF overnight air strikes throughout the Gaza Strip, in response to rockets fired at Tel Aviv yesterday, included a Hamas facility for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Ynet news site reports.

Hamas has invested considerable efforts in UAV and drone weaponry following Israel’s destruction of its terror tunnels.

Israeli media joins Palestinian counterpart in reporting Gaza truce

The Kan public broadcaster reports that a ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas thanks to Egyptian mediation.

The report comes shortly after similar ones appeared in the Palestinian press.

Islamic Jihad: We’ll hold our fire as long as Israel does

Amid reports of a ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas, Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shehab says that his group is “committed to the ceasefire understandings” as long as Israel “halts its aggression against the Palestinian people.”