The Israel Defense Forces says it has carried out air strikes on Rafah after an attack by Hamas on its troops in Gaza. A doctor at al-Aqsa Hospital says six Palestinians were killed, and seven others injured, in an Israeli air strike on the town of al-Zawaida in central Gaza.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC that the strike hit the entrance of a makeshift seaside cafe set up inside a tent along the town’s beachfront.
Explosions were also heard across parts of central and southern Gaza. The IDF says its troops were dismantling “terrorist infrastructure” in the Rafah area, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, when they were fired upon.
Israel’s military calls it a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement”, adding that it will “respond firmly”.
The IDF has called the alleged attack a “bold violation of the ceasefire”.
In response, Hamas says it’s “unaware” of any clashes in Rafah and that it “remains committed to the ceasefire agreement”. It accuses Israel of “violating the deal and fabricating pretexts to justify its crimes”.
The deal struck earlier this month required the IDF to withdraw from parts of Gaza, but allows the Israeli army to remain in certain areas, including Rafah.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 others hostage.
More than 68,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Credit: bbc.com
