Israeli army says struck weapon site in northern Gaza

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

Israel carried out a new airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening, targeting what it described as militant sites.

In a statement, the military said the strike hit the Beit Lahia area, destroying a militant infrastructure site where weapons and aerial equipment were stored "for use in an imminent terror attack against Israeli soldiers and the State of Israel."

The attack came hours after Israel said it was resuming the ceasefire that took effect nearly three weeks ago. On Tuesday night, Israel renewed its bombardments across the enclave, killing at least 104 people, including 46 children, and wounding 253 others, among them 78 children, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told reporters that Israel remained "committed to the ceasefire and to the Trump Plan," accusing Hamas of violating the truce "because it does not want to see the Trump Plan implemented, as it would be disarmed under the plan."

Israel said the bombardments were "a response" to a shooting in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday that killed an Israeli soldier, and to what it described as Hamas's withholding of the bodies of deceased hostages -- allegations the group has denied.

Hamas on Wednesday also affirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement with Israel, and accused Israel of violating it.