Palestinians celebrate as Israel, Hamas begin truce

Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina on Friday gathered to celebrate as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.

Beit Hanina:Palestinians in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina on Friday gathered to celebrate as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.

Firecrackers lit the sky as people waved Palestinian and Hamas flags and honked their car horns.

Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya on Friday joined supporters to celebrate the ceasefire with Israel and called it "a victory" to his movement.

He did not reveal the terms of the deal and claimed that Israel failed to destroy Hamas' military infrastructure.

Cheers and whistles rang out across Gaza City as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.

Across the Gaza Strip, residents took to the streets to celebrate the cessation of hostilities after an 11-day conflict that left hundreds dead.

The ceasefire began at 0200 local time (2300GMT Thursday) after both Israel and Hamas accepted an Egyptian proposal to end the violence.

At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, during the conflict, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Twelve people in Israel, including a five-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed.

AP