The Gaza Strip Civil Defense reported on Wednesday that 22 people were killed in Israeli bombardment across the territory. Israel said it carried out the attack on Hamas, which was carried out in response to attacks on its soldiers in violation of the ceasefire.
Israeli strikes left 12 people dead in Gaza City, including a couple and their three children, said the Civil Defense, which operates under Hamas authority. Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal also announced 10 deaths in the Khan Younes region (south of the Gaza Strip), including two minors whose ages he did not specify.
The Israeli army earlier accused “some terrorists (had) opened fire (Wednesday) towards the area where its troops were operating in Khan Younes”. These shots did not cause injuries but were a “violation of the ceasefire agreement,” a military statement said, adding that “in response (the Israeli army) began striking Hamas terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip.”
Given the restrictions imposed on media in Gaza and the difficulty of access on the ground, AFP was unable to independently verify information from various parties.
A fragile ceasefire
The ceasefire, which has been marked by some violence, has been in effect in Gaza since October 10, under an agreement negotiated by the United States. In the first stage, Hamas authorized the repatriation of the last 20 hostages still alive from October 7 who were still being held in Gaza and the repatriation of the bodies of 25 hostages, out of 28 hostages Hamas had promised to repatriate. In return, several hundred Palestinian prisoners in Israel were released.
Implementation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza has not yet been approved. This agreement specifically provides for the disarmament of Hamas, the establishment of a transitional authority and the deployment of international stabilization forces.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 2023 which resulted in 1,221 people being killed. Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has left more than 69,500 people dead, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled territory’s Health Ministry, which the UN considers reliable.
