Israeli army shells multiple areas across Gaza despite ceasefire

By Ramzi Mahmud and Lina Altawell

GAZA CITY/ISTANBUL (AA) – The Israeli army shelled several areas across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, in the latest violation of a fragile ceasefire agreement in the enclave, witnesses said.

Israeli fighter jets struck eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip while artillery fire continued simultaneously, accompanied by loud explosions and sporadic gunfire from Israeli military vehicles, witnesses added.

In Gaza City, airstrikes and artillery shelling were reported in the Zeitoun and Shujaiya neighborhoods, as explosions echoed across the area.

The eastern sections of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza also came under artillery fire, along with gunfire from Israeli military vehicles, according to witnesses.

No information was yet available about casualties.

The targeted areas were among the territory still controlled by the Israeli army in Gaza, where Tel Aviv still maintains a military presence in more than 50% of the enclave’s territory.

Palestinians have accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement, which halted a two-year Israeli war that has killed more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

According to the Gaza government media office, at least 418 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,110 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10.