Israel officially confirms ceasefire in apparent first, thanks Egypt

In an official statement, Israel confirms it will halt fighting with the Islamic Jihad terror group in Gaza at 11:30 p.m. local time, but threatens that it will strike back “forcefully” should the ceasefire be broken.

The statement from the head of the Public Diplomacy Directorate, which is run out of Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office, marks a sea change for Israel, which has never officially confirmed a ceasefire with Gaza terror groups before. Instead Israel has traditionally leaked confirmation via unnamed sources, to preserve the thin pretense that it did not negotiate with terrorists.

The statement thanks Egypt for its efforts in securing an end to the fighting after four days.

“Should the ceasefire be broken, Israel reserves the right to respond forcefully,” the statement reads. “We will not allow any party to disturb the daily lives of residents of Israel.”