At least five Palestinians, including two children, were killed in an Israeli attack on tents housing displaced people in Al Mawasi, southern Gaza, on Wednesday night.
The strikes mark the latest violation of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that came into effect in October, aimed at ending two years of war that devastated the enclave.
The attacks came after the Israeli military accused the group of wounding four of its soldiers in southern Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt.
Several tents in the crowded Al Mawasi camp in Khan Younis were engulfed in flames after the strikes, according to Wafa news agency and footage from the attack. Medical sources at the Kuwaiti Hospital said some of the bodies arrived severely burnt.
In addition to strikes, Israeli tanks fired at people in other areas of southern Gaza, Wafa added. Hamas said the attack was a “war crime” that demonstrated Israel's “blatant disregard for the ceasefire agreement”.
Israel had also accused Hamas of violating the truce by attacking Israeli soldiers earlier in the day. “Our policy is clear: Israel will not tolerate attacks on IDF soldiers and will respond accordingly,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Despite a fragile ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, demolitions, daily gunfire, night-time incursions and violations have continued. On Thursday, Israel confirmed that it had received the remains of the penultimate hostage, identified as Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak. The body of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the last of the living and deceased hostages to be returned, is still in Gaza.
The handover of the last hostages' bodies in Gaza would complete a key condition of the initial part of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war. On Wednesday, he told reporters the second phase of the plan was “going to happen pretty soon”.
“They had a problem today with a bomb that went off – hurt some people pretty badly, probably killed some people,” he said. “They're telling me it just happened. But it's going on very well. We have peace in the Middle East. People don't realise it.”
Phase one included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The second phase is expected to be more complicated as it deals with the future governance of Gaza and Hamas disarmament.
It also allows for an international stabilisation force to be stationed in Gaza and for work to begin on rebuilding the devastated enclave. There have been some encouraging signs that the process will progress. Talks have been taking place in Cairo between mediators.
On Wednesday, Israel said it would open the Rafah crossing “exclusively for the exit of residents” from the Gaza Strip.
The key border crossing will be open “in the coming days” and the “residents' exit will be facilitated through co-ordination with Egypt, following security approval by Israel”, said Cogat, the arm of the Israeli military that oversees aid deliveries.
Egypt, however, appears to have rejected the Israeli move, saying the Rafah crossing should be open for traffic in both directions under the ceasefire plan.
