Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continue ahead of a ceasefire and hostage agreement with Hamas that comes into effect on Sunday, subject to approval by the Israeli cabinet.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry reported that attacks killed 62 people overnight after the deal was announced.

Gaza's civil defense agency put the figures even higher, saying at least 73 people were killed and hundreds injured.

The victims included 12 people living in a residential complex in the Shehradwan neighborhood of Gaza City, the Health Ministry said.

The Israel Defense Forces initially said it had discovered "a fallen projectile" in southern Israel on Thursday, but later said it was a misidentification.

Israel has previously launched air strikes before ceasefire arrangements took effect, most recently in Lebanon. heavy bombing The attack in the capital Beirut came just hours before a ceasefire in November.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Expected to ratify Gaza ceasefire agreement in parliament on Thursday, but his office claimed Hamas had "breached" parts of the agreement, triggering a "last-minute crisis."

It added that the cabinet would not meet until Hamas accepted "all elements of the agreement."

A senior Hamas official told the BBC that his movement was committed to implementing the deal announced by the mediators and that its head of delegation, Khalil Haya, had officially informed Qatar and Egypt that it had ratified all aspects of the deal. terms.

Two hard-right ministers, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have long threatened to withdraw from the government coalition if the ceasefire continues.

Observers say this could prompt Israel to hold new elections, but their resignations would not prevent Netanyahu from reaching a deal if he wishes to do so.

Qatar's prime minister, who is mediating the talks, called on both sides to remain "calm" ahead of the start of the first six-week phase of the ceasefire deal.

This would result in the exchange of 33 hostages - including women, children and the elderly - for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Israeli troops will also withdraw to the east, away from the densely populated areas of Gaza.

Displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes, and hundreds of aid trucks a day will eventually be allowed into the territory.

The second phase of negotiations will begin in 16 days, when the remaining hostages will be released, Israeli troops will fully withdraw, and "sustainable calm" will be restored.

The third and final phase will involve the return of the bodies of all remaining hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza, which could take years.

Achim Steiner of the United Nations Development Program told BBC Newsday that rebuilding Gaza would be a huge challenge given the massive destruction caused by the war.

He said 40 million tons of "toxic" rubble needed to be cleared before Gazans could return to their homes.

"This is a very complex task that we face now," he said.

Israel has launched a campaign to destroy Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and other countries, in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that killed approximately 1,200 people, 251 people were taken hostage.

Since then, more than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Most of the 2.3 million people have also been displaced, with widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter, while aid agencies struggle to reach those in need.

Israel says 94 hostages are still being held by Hamas, 34 of whom are presumed dead. In addition, four Israelis were abducted before the war, two of whom died.