UPDATE 2 – 11 Palestinians killed in wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza despite ceasefire

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, REVISES HEADLINE

By Ramzi Mahmud, Betul Yilmaz and Rania Abu Shamala

GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 11 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday despite a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, medical sources said.

Medical sources said five people lost their lives and several others were injured when a fighter jet struck a coffee shop in a residential area in the central town of Al-Zawayda, where a number of hospitals and tents sheltering displaced civilians are located.

Four Palestinians were also killed and 13 others injured, including children, in an Israeli airstrike that hit a tent sheltering displaced people inside a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Two more Palestinians were killed in another strike targeting the vicinity of the “Al-Ahli Club” in the same camp.

Witnesses said two more people were injured in another attack on a displacement tent west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

According to an Anadolu correspondent, the Israeli army launched a “belt of fire” toward the eastern areas of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, which remain under its occupation.

The attacks came shortly after the army launched airstrikes in Rafah in southern Gaza after, allegedly, its troops came under missile attacks and gunfire in the area. Hamas has denied any involvement in the attack.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee urged Palestinian residents in a statement to remain only on the western side of the yellow line, which defines Israeli troop withdrawal under the US-sponsored ceasefire deal.

Adraee published a map showing two color zones — yellow and red — warning civilians against being east of the yellow line, in the area marked in red.

The Israeli army described the red-marked area as a “highly dangerous combat zone,” according to the statement.

The army confirmed that it began a series of strikes against Hamas targets in southern Gaza in response to what it called “the blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

The military earlier claimed that its strikes in Rafah targeted what it called Hamas military structures following anti-tank missile attacks and gunfire on its troops.

Hamas, however, denied any involvement in attacks or clashes in Rafah, stressing its commitment to the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire and hostage swap agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 8, based on a phased plan presented by US President Donald Trump. Phase one included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed nearly 68,200 people and injured more than 170,200, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.