Gaza ceasefire crumbles, 40 martyred in Israeli fresh shelling

GAZA/JERUSALEM: Israeli shelling near the southern Gaza town of Rafah martyred at least 40 and injured 200 Palestinians on Friday, the local hospital said, as a ceasefire that went into effect only hours earlier crumbled.

Israel accused Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups of violating the U.S.- and U.N.-mediated truce, but did not elaborate, amid Israeli media reports that gunmen had fired at Israeli soldiers in the Rafah area.