Israel and Hamas Exchange Accusations as 21 Killed in Gaza During Ceasefire Violations

Gaza's civil defence agency reported 21 fatalities and numerous injuries following multiple Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, as both Hamas and Israel accused each other of breaking the ceasefire agreement.

Saturday marked one of the deadliest days since the implementation of the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 10 after two years of conflict.

The Israeli military claimed that an "armed terrorist" crossed the designated Yellow Line within Gaza, behind which Israeli forces had withdrawn, and opened fire on Israeli soldiers.

In response to this incident in southern Gaza, which reportedly occurred on a humanitarian aid delivery route, the Israeli military stated it "began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip."

Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the Hamas-run civil defence agency, told AFP: "21 martyrs this evening in five separate Israeli air strikes, in a clear violation of the ceasefire in Gaza."

The casualties included seven killed and more than 16 injured in a strike on a house in Nuseirat in central Gaza, as well as four killed and several injured in an airstrike on a residential apartment in the Al-Nasr district, west of Gaza City.

The first reported strike targeted a vehicle in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood in western Gaza City, killing five people and injuring several others, according to Bassal.

An AFP photographer at the scene witnessed people approaching the burnt-out car wreckage, with children apparently attempting to salvage food from inside.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of breaching the truce agreement, stating on X: "Today, Hamas violated the ceasefire again, sending a terrorist into Israel held territory to attack IDF soldiers. In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas terrorists."

"Israel has fully honoured the ceasefire, Hamas has not. Throughout the ceasefire, dozens of Hamas terrorists have crossed the Israeli lines to attack our troops."

"We again call on the mediators to insist that Hamas fulfil its side of the ceasefire."

Hamas, in its statement, called the "escalation" of Israeli violations an "attempt to undermine the ceasefire" and urged mediators to "intervene urgently and exert pressure to stop these violations immediately."

On Wednesday, Gaza had already experienced one of its deadliest days since the truce began, with officials reporting 27 fatalities.

According to the Gaza health ministry's Thursday report, 312 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce took effect.

The war began following Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,221 deaths.

Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 69,733 people, according to figures from the health ministry that the UN considers reliable.