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With the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launching widespread strikes against Hamas strongholds across the Gaza Strip, which have reportedly claimed the lives of at least 404 people so far, Egypt—a key mediator in the Gaza truce agreement—has called the attacks a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire deal,” foreign media reported.
According to the Guardian, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement that it rejects “all Israeli attacks which aim to … make ongoing efforts to de-escalate and regain stability fail.”
Egypt has also urged the international community “to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip”.
Classes suspended in dozens of Gaza schools after Israeli airstrikes
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run education ministry in Gaza, reportedly said that classes were suspended in dozens of schools, following the deadly strikes. Around 70 schools had resumed classes only in recent weeks, it added.
The developments come with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz directing the IDF to take strong action against Hamas in Gaza. “The IDF is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organisation throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon, including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office read.
The decision follows Hamas’s continued refusal to release Israeli hostages and its rejection of “all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators,” the statement added.
The Israeli government also warned that it “will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”
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