Israel says it has begun resuming enforcement of the US-brokered ceasefire after launching a series of air strikes on southern Gaza that have killed at least 44 people.
Israel’s military earlier Sunday said its troops came under fire from Hamas militants in southern Gaza, and later said two soldiers were killed there.
It said it then it struck dozens of what it called Hamas targets. Health officials said at least 44 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, including children.
An Israeli security official said that the transfer of aid into Gaza has been halted until further notice, following what he described as Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas said it remained committed to the ceasefire agreement, was unaware of clashes in Rafah, and had not been in contact with groups there since March.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to respond forcefully to what he described as Hamas’ violations of the ceasefire.
Gaza death toll rises to 44
Palestinian health officials have told The Independent that the death toll from Israeli strikes has risen to 44.
The majority of deaths were reported at the Al-Awda Hospital.
Breaking News
The Israeli military said it had begun resuming enforcement of the Gaza ceasefire after it was “violated” by Hamas.
It signals an end to strikes on the enclave that it said were carried out in response to earlier attacks on its forces on Sunday.
Pictured: Israeli air strikes on southern Gaza
Where did the Israeli strikes hit?
Shortly before sunset, Israel’s military said it had begun a series of air strikes in southern Gaza against what it called Hamas targets.
It also said its forces struck “terrorists” approaching troops in Beit Lahiya in the north.
An Israeli air strike on a makeshift coffee house in Zawaida town in central Gaza killed at least six Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Another strike killed at least two people near the Al-Ahly football club in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The strike hit a tent and wounded eight others, said Al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.
The hospital said it also received the bodies of four people killed in a strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Nuseirat, along with the body of one person killed in a strike at a charging point west of Nuseirat.
Another strike hit a tent in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis in the south, killing at least four people, including a woman and two children, according to Nasser Hospital.
The strike in Beit Lahiya killed two men, according to Shifa hospital.
Dispute over bodies putting strain on ceasefire
The new ceasefire took effect on October 10, halting two years of war, but the Israeli government and Hamas have been accusing each other of violations of the ceasefire for days.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the “yellow line” to where Israeli forces had pulled back under the ceasefire agreement would be physically marked and that any violation of the ceasefire or attempt to cross the line would be met with fire.
Hamas detailed what it said was a series of violations by Israel that it says have left 46 people dead and stopped essential supplies from reaching the enclave.
On Saturday, Israel said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been expected to be reopened this week, would remain closed and that its reopening would depend on Hamas fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire.
Israel says Hamas is being too slow in handing over bodies of deceased hostages. Hamas last week released all 20 living hostages it had been holding and in the following days has handed over 12 of the 28 deceased captives.
Israel suspends aid and launches fresh wave of attacks on Gaza
Israel has suspended the supply of all humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and launched a fresh wave of strikes after accusing Hamas of breaching a US-brokered ceasefire.
An Israeli official told Sky News that the transfer of aid would be halted āuntil further noticeā following a āblatant violation of the agreementā by Hamas.
It came after residents in Gaza and local health authorities said that Israeli airstrikes and tank fire across the enclave had killed at least 11 people. An Israeli military official said that further strikes against Hamas targets may still be launched following at least three attacks on troops on Sunday.
