Gaza Ceasefire Strained as Israeli Strikes Kill Five
Gaza City – A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is facing renewed strain following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Thursday that killed five Palestinians, according to health officials in the territory. The strikes raise concerns about the ongoing conflict despite a truce brokered by the United States last October.
Two Palestinians were killed in an airstrike targeting a group in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood, medics reported. Later in the day, five more were killed and several injured – some critically – in drone strikes on police checkpoints in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis and the Abu Hujair area, northwest of the Bureij refugee camp.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the reports of the strikes. However, it did state that its forces operating in the southern Gaza Strip killed a militant it identified as posing an “imminent threat” after he crossed into an area within the enclave still occupied by Israel. The military characterized this incident as a violation of the existing ceasefire agreement.
The conflict was ignited by a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, the Gaza health ministry reports that over 72,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, have been killed by Israeli fire. At least 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began, the ministry adds.
Israel reports four soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza since the truce took effect, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.
In January, the ceasefire deal entered a second phase, anticipating further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza and a handover of administrative control of the territory to Hamas. The recent escalation casts doubt on the continuation of this process.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with much of the territory reduced to rubble. The international community continues to grapple with the humanitarian crisis and the challenge of securing a lasting peace.
(France 24 with Reuters)
