Israel strikes Gaza violating ceasefire deal - 71 killed

71 people were killed in the Gaza Strip strike by Israel after it announced a ceasefire deal, RIA Novosti reports citing Al Aqsa TV channel and the enclave's civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal.

"Since the ceasefire agreement was announced, the Zionist occupation forces have killed 71 people, including 61 in Gaza City," the spokesman said.

On January 16, Israel refused to approve the deal, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office accusing Hamas of "violating the agreement at the last moment." Tel Aviv demanded that the Palestinian movement confirmed the details of the agreement through intermediaries.

In his turn, Hamas Politburo member Izzat al-Rishk reaffirmed his commitment to the ceasefire deal.

The parties to the conflict in the Gaza Strip - Israel and the Hamas movement - have agreed to a ceasefire with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States. It is expected to come into effect on January 19, with the first stage of the truce lasting 42 days.

The draft agreement, received from a representative of the Palestinian Hamas movement, states the following:

The diplomat recalled that the ultimate goal is the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem, coexisting in peace with Israel.