CAIRO: Five Palestinians were killed on Tuesday as a result of Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in different parts of Gaza, according to local health officials, marking another escalation amid a fragile ceasefire that has been in place for four months.
Medical sources said two people were killed in an airstrike in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, while they were travelling on an electric bike. Later in the day, a woman was killed by Israeli drone fire in the same area. In separate incidents, Israeli troops shot dead a man in Khan Younis in southern Gaza and another individual in Jabalia in the north.
The latest violence followed an incident a day earlier in Rafah, where Israeli forces killed four fighters after they reportedly emerged from a tunnel and opened fire on troops.
The Israeli military did not directly comment on the deaths reported on Tuesday but said it had carried out strikes against what it described as Hamas militants in response to the Rafah incident.
Meanwhile, in Gaza City, large crowds gathered for the funerals of three people killed late Monday night when an Israeli airstrike hit an apartment building. One of the bodies was draped in a green flag associated with Hamas, while another had a green headband, indicating possible affiliation with the group. The identities of those killed could not be independently confirmed.
Blame Game Over Ceasefire Violations
Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United States as part of efforts to halt the Gaza conflict.
The next phase of the proposed plan includes Hamas disarming, Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, and the deployment of an international peacekeeping force. Hamas has consistently rejected calls to give up its weapons, while Israeli officials say preparations are underway in case fighting resumes on a larger scale.
Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 580 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire agreement reached in October. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by militants during the same period.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed more than 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent air and ground campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 72,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local health authorities.
