Original post: April 7, 2011. After weeks of mounting tensions and cross-boundary violence, Hamas has worked with all militant groups within Gaza to ensure a cessation of rocket attacks from the coastal territory. See this analysis from the Israeli daily newspaper, Ha’aretz. The ELCA’s Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine (available here in PDF format) seeks “An end to terrorism and violence by individuals, groups, and states” (2.B.1.b).

Update: April 8, 2011. Unfortunately, the cease-fire has not held among all parties in Gaza. As Ha’aretz reports today, militants in Gaza fired several mortars into Israeli territory, prompting an IDF military strike. The Ma’an News Agency reports that the status of the ceasefire is unclear, given the refusal of some militant groups to lay their weapons down.