For a brief period there was peace along a half kilometre stretch of the security fence between Israel and Gaza on Wednesday and Thursday, as Palestinian and Israeli companies worked together to lay high speed internet cables for Gaza.

Palestinian telecoms company and Israeli company HOT jointly organised the operation with the help of the Israeli Defence Forces and the Israeli Co-ordination and Liaison Administration to the Gaza Strip, the Jersusalem Post reported.

On a dangerous stretch of the fence, workers drilled and dug wearing bullet-proof vests and helmets, and were protected an IDF infantry battalion.

The 15km of cables will update the current system, created in the 1990s, bringing faster internet, telephone and cable connections to the area.

Major Adam Avidan of the Israeli Co - ordination and Liaison Administration told the Post: “It was all done under heavy security measures,” adding: “The whole operation was treated and run like a military operation.”