Israel attacks Beirut, targets Hezbollah chief of staff

The Israel Defense Forces targeted groups of Palestinians in Gaza City inside the green area (safe zone) on Wednesday, killing 32 people, including 12 children and eight women, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported on Thursday. All of those killed in Wednesday’s attacks were far from the yellow line that separates the safe zone from the IDF-controlled area.

A total of 312 Palestinians have been killed across the Gaza Strip since the U.S.-backed peace plan came into effect in October, according to the health ministry.

-ABC News' Diaa Ostaz

The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out several strikes targeting Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip after shots were fired at an area where troops were operating.

At least 22 people were killed in the strikes, according to hospital officials in Gaza. No casualties were reported by the IDF.

The IDF said its forces “will continue to act to eliminate any immediate threat.”

A U.S. official said the Israeli strikes on Wednesday were in retaliation to Hamas sniper attacks on the IDF on Tuesday.

The official warned that Hamas is attempting to break the ceasefire and that their "desperate tactics" will fail.

"After the United Nations overwhelmingly endorsed President Trump's 20 Point Peace Plan, Hamas is clearly lashing out and is now attempting to break the ceasefire and not fulfill their commitment to demilitarize and surrender control of the Gaza government," the U.S. official told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Mariam Khan, Jordana Miller and Diaa Ostaz

The Israeli military on Wednesday warned two villages in southern Lebanon -- Deir Kifa and Deir Qanun Al-Nahr -- to evacuate buildings near what it said are Hezbollah sites ahead of planned strikes.

The Israel Defense Forces later said it struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities “in the heart of the civilian population” in southern Lebanon.

“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, such as precise weapons, prior warnings to the civilians, aerial observations and additional intelligence information,” the IDF said.

At least five Palestinians were killed in attacks by the Israeli army in different Gaza City neighborhoods on Wednesday, according to local hospitals.

The casualties were all inside the safe zone at the time, and were away from the yellow line that separates the Israeli-controlled area from the safe zone, ABC News has learned.

But the Israel Defense Forces said, “Several terrorists were identified crossing the yellow line and approaching IDF troops in the northern Gaza Strip, posing an immediate threat.”