World Bulletin / News Desk

Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip on Friday executed 18 people for spying for Israel, a pro-Hamas internet portal has reported.

"The 18 were executed for spying for Israel according to due legal process," the Almajid website quoted a security source as saying.

According to an AA reporter, 11 people were executed by firing squad in western Gaza City and seven were executed in eastern Gaza City.

Reporters were banned by officials from covering the execution.

The pro-Hamas internet portal said that "firm measures" were being taken against anyone found spying for Israel.

Security agencies in the besieged coastal enclave launch frequent crackdowns on suspected spies.

Suspects always face trial behind closed doors, while the media is usually prevented from covering the proceedings.

Violence flared up again on Tuesday between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip following the collapse of indirect, Egypt-hosted talks aimed at reaching a permanent ceasefire deal.

Israel accuses Palestinian factions of violating a temporary ceasefire (which expired on midnight Tuesday) – a claim denied by resistance faction Hamas, which in turn accused the self-proclaimed Jewish state of attempting to derail the talks in Cairo.

Since hostilities began on July 7, at least 2089 Palestinians have been killed – the vast majority of them civilians – and more than 10,000 injured by devastating Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of homes in Gaza, meanwhile, have been destroyed by relentless Israeli bombardments.

Over the same period, at least 67 Israelis – 64 soldiers and three civilians – have been killed, according to Israeli figures.