JERUSALEM

Israeli forces killed four Palestinians on Monday morning in eastern Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, amid daily violations of a ceasefire agreement in effect since Oct. 10 of last year.

“On Monday morning, forces identified four armed individuals emerging from an opening along an underground route in eastern Rafah," the Israeli army said in a statement.

It claimed that the Palestinians opened fire toward troops from the 7th Brigade, “prompting the forces to respond with gunfire, resulting in the elimination of all four.”

In recent weeks, the Israeli army has announced the killing of dozens of Palestinians in Rafah, claiming they were detected emerging from tunnels.

The ceasefire halted an Israeli offensive that began in Oct. 2023, killing around 72,000 Palestinians and wounding more than 171,000 others, while destroying about 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued to violate it, killing 576 Palestinians and wounding 1,543 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel in Istanbul