JERUSALEM/GAZA, Oct 20 (NNN-XINHUA) – Military escalation in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, has resulted in at least 44 Palestinian deaths yesterday, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources.
The Israeli army said in a statement that, the IDF launched a series of airstrikes and artillery shelling across various areas of the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s health authorities said, at least 44 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli attacks.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defence, told Xinhua that, field crews responded to more than 20 distress calls, since the morning hours.
Later yesterday evening, the Israeli army announced, it had resumed the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said in a statement that, “the Israel Defence Forces have begun reapplying the ceasefire agreement, in accordance with directives from the political level, following a series of significant airstrikes carried out earlier.”
The ceasefire agreement, brokered with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediation under U.S. sponsorship, has been in place since Oct 10.
Under the agreement, both parties committed to cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas of the enclave, and the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel, to allow medical and relief teams to resume their operations.
However, despite these commitments, both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire deal.– NNN-XINHUA
