At least two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza, in the latest violation of a fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas, medical sources said.
The sources said on Wednesday that the bodies of two people were transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital after the strike that targeted Beit Lahia city.
An Israeli military statement claimed that the strike targeted infrastructure where weapons and aerial means were allegedly stored in Beit Lahia.
Hamas held Israel fully responsible for the escalation in Gaza, though it reiterated its full commitment to the ceasefire agreement.
The Palestinian resistance group called on mediators and guarantors to assume their responsibilities and exert immediate pressure on Israel to stop its “massacres” against Palestinians.
UN chief 'strongly condemns' deadly strikes
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly" condemned recent Israeli air strikes across Palestine’s Gaza.
"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killings due to Israeli air strikes of civilians in Gaza yesterday, including many children," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding that Guterres also "condemns all actions that undermine the ceasefire and endanger civilian lives."
Noting the "importance of the parties and renewed assurances to implement the ceasefire," the UN chief also stressed that the "commitments must be upheld in full."
"Any acts that risk harm to civilians or obstruct humanitarian operations must be avoided," Dujarric added.
Hailing the continued diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the US, Dujarric stated that the UN and its partners "are rapidly scaling up our presence across Gaza, working intensively to deliver lifesaving assistance to communities in need."
‘Disappointing and frustrating’
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Wednesday that Doha found a recent Gaza ceasefire violation “disappointing and frustrating,” but immediately mobilised in full coordination with the US to contain the situation.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Al Thani said that throughout the process, Qatar had witnessed numerous ceasefire violations, many of which were not reported because they were less significant.
“But yesterday’s event was honestly something that (was) very disappointing and frustrating for us to see that it’s happening, and we were trying to contain it, and we mobilised right away after this, and in full coordination with the United States, and we have seen that the US also is committed to the deal,” he said.
The Israeli army killed more than 100 Palestinians, including 46 children, in Gaza since Tuesday evening, violating a ceasefire agreement in place since October 10, according to the Health Ministry.
___
Source: TRT