Palestinians claim victory as Gaza truce faces early test

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians have rallied by the thousands after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war.

The 11-day conflict left more than 200 dead — the vast majority Palestinians — and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Gaza Strip.

But the rocket barrages fired by Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem.

The truce faces an early test on Friday when tens of thousands of Palestinians attend weekly prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, a flashpoint holy site revered by Jews and Muslims.

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