GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Intense clashes erupted Friday morning between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the southeastern Gaza Strip, as Kerem Shalom was declared a "military zone" amid unconfirmed reports that an Israeli soldier may have been captured.
The clashes came after Israeli forces shelled Gaza multiple times since the commencement of the ceasefire, killing four Palestinians. Before it came into effect at 8 a.m., Israel had already killed 16 Palestinians in strikes and shelling since midnight.
Fighters reportedly emerged on Friday morning from tunnels, firing mortar shells toward the Israeli region of Eshkol across the border.
Dozens of Palestinians had been killed in Israeli shelling on the area in response to the attack, while the number of Israeli casualties was still unclear.
Israel Channel 10 said that Israeli forces were chasing down the armed men east of Rafah and was trying to prevent them from going further into the city.
An Israeli military spokesperson, meanwhile, said that the ceasefire was over and military operations would "resume."
The Islamic Jihad-affiliated Palestine TV reported that the ceasefire had been "interrupted" because an Israeli soldier had gone missing.
Fighting was ongoing between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters southeast of Rafah city near the crossing on Friday noon, Israeli media reported. more
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