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Israel–Palestinian Islamic Jihad ceasefire (May 2023)

Signed 2023-05-13 · Israel & Palestine
⊗ Collapsed

An Egyptian-mediated ceasefire ended five days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in May 2023. It restored short-term calm but was overtaken by the much larger Israel–Hamas war later that year.

The May 2023 agreement stopped five days of Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket fire. Egypt facilitated the agreement and the United Nations supported the mediation.

The ceasefire addressed the immediate exchange rather than the broader Israel–Palestine conflict. The regional security arrangement ceased to function once the October 2023 war began, so this entry is marked collapsed.

What was agreed

Duration: Open-ended cessation of fire

Conditions:
  • Both sides stop attacks and preserve calm
  • Crossings reopen for humanitarian assistance and movement
Who broke it

Party: Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, including PIJ

Basis: Attributed by a UN body

The October 7 attack ended the regional calm created by the May agreement. The UN Commission found that Hamas led and coordinated the attack with other armed groups; UN records also identify PIJ participation. This is attribution for the initiating attack, not a finding about the broader conflict's causes.

Sources:

Timeline
2023-10-07
A larger Israel–Hamas war begins
2023-05-13
Ceasefire takes effect after five days of fighting

Sources

Last updated 2026-07-17