By Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel intensified strikes on Gaza hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, residents and authorities in the Palestinian enclave said,

Negotiators said a deal between Israel and Hamas was closer than ever even as Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued, killing at least 13.

At least 20 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday following the announcement of a cease-fire agreement that is set to take effect on Jan. 19.

Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 26 people across Gaza as they struck Hamas security officers and an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 68 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, including at a tent camp where the head of the enclave's Hamas-controlled police force, his deputy and nine displaced people died,

Hospital staff in southern Gaza say the latest Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 21 people. Hamas releases a hostage video of an Israeli soldier.

Work on an agreement that would pause months of fighting and free some hostages resumed after Hamas went silent.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denied on Wednesday that Hamas had agreed to the Gaza ceasefire proposal from Qatari mediators, after an Israeli official said the Palestinian militant group had given its approval.