Israel lifts restrictions amid ceasefire

Tel Aviv, May 6 (IANS) The Israeli military said on Monday that it had lifted all protective restrictions, amid a reported ceasefire with militants in Gaza that ended two days of violence.

Since Saturday morning, Palestinian militants in Gaza have launched 690 rockets towards southern Israel. Israel responded with over 320 attacks on military positions, making it the most significant escalation of violence since the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict.

At the same time, the Israeli air force also carried out massive strikes in Gaza, bombing buildings and militant targets throughout the besieged Palestinian enclave.

"As of 7 a.m., all protective restrictions in the home front will be lifted," Xinhua news agency quoted an Israeli military spokesperson as saying in a statement.

Following the statement, most educational institutions across the south announced they will resume classes after they were closed on Sunday in the wake of the abrupt violence.

The Israeli government is yet to release an official statement about the ceasefire.

In Gaza, Al-Aqsa TV, an official Hamas-run channel, reported that the ceasefire agreement between the armed groups in the Gaza Strip and Israel went into effect before dawn.

Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that the deal was brokered by Egyptian, Qatari and UN officials.

At least 23 Palestinians were killed, including two pregnant women and two babies, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In Israel, four civilians were killed.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-Gernal Antonio Guterres condemned "in the strongest terms the launching of rockets from Gaza into Israel, particularly the targeting of civilian population centres", Efe news reported.

He also urged all parties to "exercise maximum restraint, immediately de-escalate and return to the understandings of the past few months".