Israel violates Gaza ceasefire almost 500 times in 44 days, hundreds of Palestinians killed

TELAVIV: Israel has breached the United States-brokered Gaza ceasefire almost 500 times in just 44 days, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians since the truce came into effect on October 10, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Gaza Government Media Office’s statement.

According to the office, 342 civilians have been killed during these violations, with children, women and the elderly comprising the majority of the victims.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the continued serious and systematic violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Israeli occupation authorities,” the office said, adding, “these violations constitute a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law and the humanitarian protocol attached to the agreement. Among these violations, 27 occurred today, Saturday, resulting in 24 martyrs and 87 wounded.”

The office also said Israel was fully responsible for the humanitarian and security repercussions from its violations, as per Al Jazeera.

Israel continues to heavily restrict the full and free flow of desperately needed aid and medical supplies into the devastated enclave, as was mandated in the ceasefire agreement.

On Saturday (local time), Israel’s military launched a wave of air attacks across Gaza, killing at least 24 Palestinians, including children, in its latest violation of a six-week-old ceasefire in the war-torn territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the attacks were carried out after a Hamas fighter targeted Israeli soldiers inside Gaza’s so-called “yellow line,” a zone under Israeli control.

“In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas fighters,” the Israeli statement said.

Hamas, however, challenged Israel’s account, demanding proof of the claim.

Izzat al-Risheq, a senior official in Hamas’s political bureau, urged the mediators of the Gaza deal and the United States to pressure Israel to back its claim and to implement the Gaza agreement, according to Al Jazeera.

Dozens of Palestinian families have been besieged in northern Gaza, local authorities have said, as the Israeli military has repositioned its forces deeper into the enclave in violation of the ceasefire agreement. (ANI)