WASHINGTON: The US Department of State said it has received credible reports suggesting Hamas is planning an imminent attack against Palestinian civilians.

The United States has alerted the guarantor nations of the Gaza peace agreement to those reports, it said in a statement on Saturday.

Such an attack would undermine recent mediation efforts and the progress made toward peace, and "should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire," the department added.

The ceasefire went into effect on October 10. Its first phase includes the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Israel Defense Forc

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