Israeli airstrikes kill 9 in Gaza, including tent camp, Palestinian officials say
Nidal al-Mughrabi and Steven Scheer
CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Feb 15 (Reuters) – At least nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the north and south of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Palestinian civil defense and health officials said, in what the Israeli military called a response to ceasefire violations by Hamas.
At least four people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a tent camp housing displaced families, health officials said, while five people were killed in another attack in Khan Younis in the south.
“In recent hours, the Israeli Armed Forces began attacks in response to Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement in the Beit Hanun area,” an Israeli military official said, adding that “the terrorists emerged from a tunnel east of the yellow line.”
The official described Sunday’s attacks as “precise” and in line with international law and said the Palestinian militant group had violated the October ceasefire more than six times, including its deployment east of the “Yellow Line” agreed upon as part of the ceasefire to demarcate Israeli and Hamas-controlled areas.
“Crossing the yellow line while armed near IDF troops is a clear ceasefire violation and demonstrates how Hamas is systematically violating the ceasefire agreement with the intention of harming IDF troops,” the official said.
Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement, a key element of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war.
On Saturday, the military said armed “terrorists” were detected near IDF personnel operating in the northern Gaza Strip.
The IDF said it was continuing to destroy underground tunnels in the northern Gaza Strip in accordance with the agreement.
He said several armed men were observed emerging from what he said was a tunnel and going under the rubble of a building east of the Yellow Line.
The military said Air Force planes attacked the building and eliminated two gunmen, and that it was likely additional militants were eliminated in the attack.
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the Gaza agreement began. Israel said four soldiers were killed by militants in Gaza during the same period.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Steven Scheer; Editing by William Mallard)
