Four Palestinians were killed in Gaza as Israel resumed airstrikes following the collapse of the first phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement.

At least four Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as Israel escalates its attacks on the besieged territory hours after the first phase of the fragile ceasefire agreement came to an end.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that Israeli airstrikes on various parts of the territory have resulted in four deaths and six injuries since the morning.

Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike east of Gaza Airport, located in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported the incident on Sunday evening. Earlier, a drone attack on the northern town of Beit Hanoun claimed at least one life and left another person injured.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s civil defense reported that two injured individuals were transported to safety and a fire in a residential apartment was extinguished after an Israeli airstrike on the Tal Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah.

In addition, rescue teams recovered the bodies of four Palestinians from under the rubble of a house bombed by Israeli occupation forces in the al-Zaytun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, during the ongoing war on Gaza.

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The attacks also saw Israeli tanks firing stun shells in central Rafah while Israeli military vehicles opened fire heavily on the al-Farahin area in Aabasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Since the ceasefire was declared on January 19, the death toll has surpassed 116 Palestinians, with over 490 others wounded.

International Reactions

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged Israel to immediately cease its suspension of humanitarian supplies to Gaza, calling it a violation of international law. The UN humanitarian chief also condemned the halting of crucial supplies, emphasizing the importance of allowing access to deliver life-saving aid to the population.

In response to Israel’s actions, Egypt condemned the decision to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza, labeling it a “flagrant violation” of the truce agreement brokered by Cairo. The Egyptian foreign ministry issued a statement, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon against Palestinians.

Ireland also expressed serious concern over the suspension of aid, warning of the risk to lives in Gaza if supplies are halted. Irish officials noted that the country has been supporting the delivery of aid to Gaza through UN partners and emphasized that halting aid would delay critical relief efforts.

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Hamas, meanwhile, condemned the Israeli move as a war crime and a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, Hamas called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its “punitive measures against Gaza’s population” and accused the Israeli government of attempting to evade negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire.

Earlier on Sunday, Israel announced the suspension of all humanitarian aid to Gaza, including the closure of crossings “until further notice.” The Israeli government emphasized that no ceasefire would be extended without the release of all hostages, threatening further consequences if Hamas does not comply.

(PC, Al Mayadeen)