Northern Gaza remains a combat zone despite ceasefire: Israel
Gaza Civil Defence officials said Israeli air strikes continued overnight, particularly in northern areas, just hours after the truce was announced
The Israeli military on Thursday warned Palestinians against returning to northern Gaza, describing the area as a "dangerous combat zone" despite the announcement of a ceasefire deal aimed at halting months of fighting.
Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesman, said forces "continue to surround Gaza City," adding that movement north of Wadi Gaza - the valley dividing the enclave's northern and central areas - remained unsafe, reports Al Jazeera.
"For your safety, refrain from returning north or approaching areas where Israeli forces are stationed and operating throughout the sector, including in the south and east of the sector, until official instructions are issued," Adraee said in a statement posted online.
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His remarks underscore that hostilities have not fully subsided in Gaza's north, even after officials from both sides confirmed late Wednesday that a framework for a ceasefire had been agreed.
Air strikes reported after ceasefire announcement
Gaza Civil Defence officials said Israeli air strikes continued overnight, particularly in northern areas, just hours after the truce was announced.
"Since the announcement last night of an agreement on a proposed ceasefire framework in Gaza, several explosions have been reported, particularly in areas of northern Gaza," said Mohammed al-Mughayyir, a senior Civil Defence official.
He told AFP that "a series of intense air strikes" hit parts of Gaza City, though no immediate casualty figures were available.
