Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes kill at least 7

It is the latest violence in the Palestinian territory to come despite a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which came into effect in October.

The civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue force under Hamas authorities, told AFP that a drone strike in the southern city of Khan Yunis shortly after midnight killed three people.

An air strike on a tent for displaced people west of Khan Yunis in the afternoon killed another person, the agency said.

Two others were killed by Israeli fire in separate incidents in the northern city of Beit Lahia, while a strike in central Gaza killed one more.

When asked about the incidents by AFP, the Israeli military referred to a statement about several armed Hamas members exiting a tunnel in the Rafah area a day earlier, which it said constituted "a violation of the ceasefire agreement."

"Shortly after, the troops alongside the Israeli Air Force struck and eliminated some of the terrorists in order to remove the threat," the statement said.

The military told AFP that strikes were conducted "throughout the strip" in response to the "ceasefire violation in the area of Rafah".

AFP footage from Khan Yunis on Friday showed men carrying the deceased through the streets wrapped in white plastic body bags before their loved ones paid their final respects.

"Israeli aircraft bombed them mercilessly, without warning, without knowing whether they were civilians or soldiers," said Ahmad Mohammad Joudeh, a Khan Yunis resident.

"You just need to move, to meet with your neighbour, to gather with friends late at night at one or three in the morning, and they will strike you," he added.
'Save us'
Maher Shabat, an eyewitness, described the moment the drone struck in the early hours of Friday.

"Young people started screaming, 'Save us! Save us!' We ran to reach them and arrived in that area, and they told us to go back, not to approach, because the drone was still overhead," he told AFP.

Violence has continued in the Palestinian territory despite the ceasefire entering its second phase last month, with Israel and Hamas trading accusations of violations.

Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, says at least 618 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began.

The Israeli military says at least five of its soldiers have been killed in the same period.

Media restrictions and limited access in Gaza have prevented AFP from independently verifying casualty figures or freely covering the fighting.