Israel launches strikes on Gaza after accusing Hamas of 'bold violation of ceasefire'

Before the Israeli strikes, Palestinian officials accused Israel of committing 47 violations of the ceasefire agreement since it came into force in early October, killing 38 people and wounding 143.

"The attacks included an RPG shot at a military force, and a sniper fire against a military force," the Israeli official added.

Hamas is yet to comment on the strikes.

Read more: US says Hamas is planning 'imminent' attack on Gaza civilians as latest returned October 7 hostage identified

Air raid sirens were heard in Rafah following what Israel called an "exchange of fire" between Hamas and Israeli troops.

These alleged violations come less than a week after both sides signed a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire deal, which he hailed as a "new era of peace" for the Middle East.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the US claimed Hamas was planning to violate its ceasefire agreement with an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Taking to X, the State Department said any attack "would constitute a direct and grave violation" of the agreement forged by Donald Trump to end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas.

The post did not include any details about the attack.

"Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire," the State Department said.

The president previously warned on social media that "if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them".

He later clarified he will not send US troops into Gaza after the threat against Hamas.

"It's not going to be us," he told reporters. "We won't have to. There are people very close, very nearby, that will go in and they'll do the trick very easily, but under our auspices."