Israeli planes strike Gaza City in truce violation

Israeli planes launched strikes in Gaza City Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the resistance group Hamas of violating a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory and ordered the military to carry out "powerful attacks".At least two people were killed and four wounded in a strike on a residential building in the city's Sabra neighbourhood, and an area close to Shifa hospital, the largest operational hospital in northern Gaza, was also hit, according to Gaza officials, witnesses and Hamas media.The strikes were the latest violence in a fragile three-week-old ceasefire and which followed a statement by Netanyahu's office saying he had ordered immediate attacks.The statement did not give a specific reason for the attacks but an Israeli military official said Hamas had violated the ceasefire by carrying out an attack against Israeli forces in an area of the enclave that is under Israeli control.The US-backed ceasefire agreement went into effect on October 10, halting two years of war that has devastated the narrow coastal strip.Both sides have accused each other of ceasefire violations.Earlier yesterday, Israeli media reported an exchange of fire between Israeli forces and fighters in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.Hamas denied responsibility for an attack on Israeli forces in Rafah. The group also said in a statement that it remained committed to the ceasefire deal in Gaza.Tuesday's strikes on Gaza City followed what Israel called a "targeted strike" on Saturday on a person in central Gaza.Netanyahu said earlier yesterday that Hamas had violated the ceasefire by turning over some wrong remains in a process of returning the bodies of hostages to Israel.Hamas said Netanyahu was looking for excuses to back away from Israel's obligations.Witnesses in Khan Younis said the Egyptian teams, working with armed Hamas fighters, were digging deep near the Hamad Housing City in the western side of Khan Younis, reaching tunnel shafts.Gaza health authorities say 68,000 people are confirmed killed in the Israeli strikes and thousands more are missing.