Gaza civil defence says 'Israeli' strikes kill at least 5

• 'Israeli' strikes in Gaza kill at least five despite US-brokered ceasefire, as 'Israeli' violence continues.

Gaza's civil defence agency said 'Israeli' strikes killed at least five people on Friday, the latest violence despite a US-brokered ceasefire between 'Israel' and Hamas.

The agency told AFP that an air strike in the early hours of Friday morning killed at least two people and seriously injured one in central Gaza.

A drone strike in the south of the strip shortly after midnight killed three and injured several more people, the agency added.

Violence has continued in the Palestinian territory despite the ceasefire entering its second phase last month.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, 'Israeli' troops withdrew to positions behind a so-called "Yellow Line", though they remain in control of more than half of the territory.

The 'Israeli' military said it struck armed Hamas members in the Rafah area of southern Gaza overnight on Friday in response to what it claimed was a "violation of the ceasefire agreement".

In a statement, it said troops "identified several armed terrorists who emerged from the underground terror infrastructure in eastern Rafah."

"Shortly after, the troops alongside the Israeli Air Force struck and eliminated some of the terrorists in order to remove the threat," it said.

"In response to the violation, the (Israeli military) precisely struck overnight (Friday) several armed Hamas terrorists in the Rafah area."

Gaza's health ministry says at least 618 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began.

Media restrictions and limited access in Gaza imposed by 'Israel' have prevented AFP from independently verifying casualty figures or freely covering the fighting.