Israeli military operations have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Palestinians in Gaza within the last 24 hours, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry, as Arab and US mediators strive to strengthen a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Palestinian authorities have reported that numerous individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli fire, even with the truce established on January 19 that brought an end to large-scale hostilities in Gaza.
This initial phase concluded in early March, and while both parties have so far avoided full-scale war, they remain unable to reach an agreement on the subsequent steps regarding the ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
Israel’s military asserts that its forces have acted to counteract threats posed by “terrorists” approaching its troops or attempting to plant explosives since the ceasefire commenced.
These developments follow a statement from Gaza’s health ministry that indicated most of the recent fatalities occurred yesterday due to an Israeli airstrike, which resulted in the deaths of nine Palestinians, including four journalists, in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military reported that six individuals identified as members of the armed factions of Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad militant group were among those killed in the airstrike.
Furthermore, they claimed that some militants had been operating “under the guise of journalists.”
Hamas condemned the airstrike as “a horrible massacre” and “a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
Salama Marouf, the head of the Gaza government’s media office, stated that the military’s account of the incident included names of individuals who were not present at the scene.
People gather on rooftops amidst the ruins in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.
He asserted that the information was based on unreliable social media reports “without taking the effort to verify the facts,” Mr. Marouf stated.
Gaza health officials reported that at least four additional Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli strikes yesterday.
Earlier today, an Israeli drone targeted a group of Palestinians in the town of Juhr Eldeek in central Gaza, resulting in the death of a 62-year-old man and injuring several others, according to medical sources.
Several additional individuals were also injured when an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of people in Rafah, they added.
The Israeli military mentioned that it was unaware of the reported drone strikes.
Ongoing violence in Gaza highlights the precariousness of the three-phase ceasefire agreement that has been mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, who are working to forge a path forward between Israel and Hamas.
During the first phase of this ceasefire agreement, Hamas released 33 hostages, including eight who were deceased, while Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian detainees.
Since that time, Hamas has continually called for negotiations regarding the second phase, which includes a permanent cessation of hostilities, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the reopening of border crossings for humanitarian aid, and the release of remaining hostages.
However, Israel seeks to extend the initial phase until mid-April and insists that any transition to the second phase must involve “the total demilitarization” of Gaza and the dismantling of Hamas, which has been in control of the territory since 2007.
The conflict erupted when Hamas conducted a cross-border incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Israel’s retaliatory actions in Gaza have led to more than 48,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to health officials in Gaza, reduced large portions of the territory to ruins, and prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes, all of which Israel denies.
