ALBAWABA - Medical sources told Al Jazeera that 22 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on several areas in the Gaza Strip early Thursday morning.
Earlier, the spokesperson for the Civil Defense Service in Gaza, Mahmoud Basal, told AFP: "Israeli raids have not stopped despite the announcement of the truce. Rather, the Israeli occupation is escalating its aggression against citizens in all areas of the Strip."
The raids continued following the announcement of the agreement on a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday evening. The Gaza ceasefire is expected to be implemented in three stages.
Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani hailed the agreement and said it would be effective on Sunday.
An American official told NBC News that the two American hostages in Gaza; Sagui Dekel Chen and Keith Siegel are alive and will be released from Hamas captivity in the first phase where 33 hostages are expected to be released in addition to the thousands of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
CNN confirmed that the first phase of the ceasefire deal will last six weeks and it includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops, a swap of hostages and prisoners, and an increase of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Qatari Prime Minister also noted that the second and third phases are less developed, and talks on their details will start during the first phase.
