Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes kill at least five people

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed at least five people on Friday, the latest violence despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The agency, which operates as a rescue force under Hamas authorities, told AFP that an air strike in the early hours of Friday morning killed at least two people and seriously injured one in central Gaza.

A drone strike in the south of the strip shortly after midnight killed three and injured several more people, the agency added.

Violence has continued in the Palestinian territory despite the ceasefire entering its second phase last month, with Israel and Hamas trading accusations of violations.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, Israeli troops withdrew to positions behind a so-called "Yellow Line," though they remain in control of more than half of the territory.

The Israeli military said it struck armed Hamas members in the Rafah area of southern Gaza overnight on Friday in response to what it said was a "violation of the ceasefire agreement."

In a statement, it said troops "identified several armed terrorists who emerged from the underground terror infrastructure in eastern Rafah."

"Shortly after, the troops alongside the air force struck and eliminated some of the terrorists in order to remove the threat," it said.

"In response to the violation, the (Israeli military) precisely struck overnight (Friday) several armed Hamas terrorists in the Rafah area."

Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authorities, says at least 618 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began.

The Israeli military says at least five of its soldiers have been killed in the same period.

Media restrictions and limited access in Gaza have prevented AFP from independently verifying casualty figures or freely covering the fighting.

AFP