THE ISRAEL DEFENCE FORCE (IDF) continued to carry out deadly attacks in Gaza today, leading critics to warn the week-old ceasefire deal remains in name only.

Israel also announced that the transfer of humanitarian aid into the famine-stricken enclave was halted “until further notice,” a clear violation of the ceasefire terms.

At least five Palestinians were killed and many injured by an Israeli attack on az-Zawayda, central Gaza, medics from Al-Aqsa Hospital reported.

This followed the killing of two Palestinians in an Israeli air attack in northern Gaza, according to the Wafa news agency.

The IDF admitted to carrying out air attacks in Rafah, saying it was in retaliation for anti-tank missiles and gunfire being aimed at their troops by Hamas.

Hamas said it was respecting the ceasefire agreement and was unaware of any fighting in Rafah.

A statement from Hamas said: “We have no knowledge of any incidents or clashes taking place in the Rafah area, as these are red zones under the occupation control.”

“Contact with the remaining groups of ours there has been cut off since the war resumed in March of this year.”

The violence follows accusations by the US State Department on Saturday that it had obtained “credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.”

“Should Hamas proceed with this attack,” it warned, “measures will  be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire.” The department did not offer any details about the alleged planned attack.

Hamas labelled the US allegation false, “fully in line with misleading Israeli propaganda and [it] provides cover for the continuation of the occupation’s crimes and organised aggression” in Gaza.

It called on the US to “stop repeating the occupation’s misleading narrative and to focus on curbing its repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.

“The facts on the ground reveal the exact opposite, as the occupation authorities are the ones who formed, armed and founded criminal gangs that carried out killings, kidnappings, theft of aid trucks and assaults against Palestinian civilians.”

The Gaza Government Media Office revealed on Saturday that they had counted around 50 Israeli violations of the peace deal, leaving 38 Palestinians dead and 143 injured since the start of the ceasefire.

It called Israel’s actions “flagrant and clear violations of the ceasefire decision and the rules of international humanitarian law.”

Israel has also blocked the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.