Israel kills 7 more civilians in Gaza despite ceasefire deal

Seven people have been killed in Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip since the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement became effective on Oct 10, Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), a Gaza-based rights group, said on Wednesday.

The Israeli Defense Forces have violated ceasefire 36 times in Gaza since its implementation, resulting in deaths and numerous injuries, according to the PCHR.

The PCHR called on the international community to take responsibility and ensure that Israel abides by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and the north, and the opening of five crossings for aid, and the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas announced that it had handed over all 20 of the remaining live hostages, who were captured during the attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have begun releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange deal.

More than two years of Israeli military operations have devastated Gaza, killing over 67,000 people and triggering famine, according to Gaza's health authorities and UN-backed food experts.

Tehran was hit by a barrage of airstrikes on Tuesday, with thick smoke rising in many parts of the city, according to a China Media Group (CMG) reporter stationed in the Iranian capital.

Video footage shot by the reporter showed smoke and dust engulfing nearby buildings after one airstrike.

Airstrikes also threw up thick columns of smoke in western, eastern, and far northeastern Tehran, with all the explosions occurring within minutes of each other, according to the reporter.