Trump backs Israel '100 percent' as Gaza is bombarded

The US president made the remarks on Twitter, where he blamed the flaring violence in the region on Palestine's Hamas militant group. 

"Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100 [percent] in its defence of its citizens.... To the Gazan people - these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery. END the violence and work towards peace - it can happen!," Trump tweeted.

The remarks came as Palestinian leaders in the blockaded Gaza enclave agreed to a ceasefire with Israel on Monday to end a deadly two-day escalation in violence that threatened to widen into a fourth war between them since 2008.

An official from the strip's Hamas leadership revealed the agreement was brokered by Egypt, though no further details were provided.

An Egyptian official also confirmed the deal on condition of anonymity.

It came after the most serious flare-up in violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since a 2014 war.

The escalation began on Friday after four Palestinians were killed and two Israeli soldiers were wounded during a weekly demonstration at the Gaza-Israel border on Friday.

Palestinian militant factions responded on Saturday with rocket fire from Gaza, drawing waves of Israeli retaliatory strikes which continued throughout Sunday.

At least 23 Palestinians, including at least nine militants, were killed in the flare up of violence, while four Israelis civilians were also killed.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and the escalation brought them to the brink of another.

Gaza's health ministry said the dead from the Israeli strikes included a 14-month-old baby and a pregnant woman, 37. It first identified the woman as the baby's mother, but the family later clarified she was the aunt.

Another four-month-old baby was among those killed in Israeli strikes in the northern Gaza Strip.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt and the United Nations, had led to relative calm around Israel's election last month.

That truce saw Israel allow Qatar to provide millions of dollars in aid to Gaza, paying salaries and financing fuel purchases to ease severe electricity shortages.

Follow us on Twitter: @The_NewArab