Military escalation in Gaza causes at least 46 deaths despite ceasefire deal

JERUSALEM/GAZA, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Military escalation in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has resulted in at least 46 deaths on Sunday, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources.

The Israeli army said in a statement that two of its soldiers were killed in a Hamas attack early in the day. During the incident, Hamas fired an anti-tank missile and opened fire on Israeli troops dismantling infrastructure in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

In response to the reported attack, 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 Defense, told Xinhua that field crews responded to more than 20 distress calls since morning hours.

Later on Sunday 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 Defense Forces have begun reapplying the ceasefire agreement in accordance with directives from the political level, following a series of significant airstrikes carried out in response to Hamas' violation of the agreement."

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.  ■