Israeli airstrike kills nine in Gaza amid ceasefire tensions
An Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya, a northern town in Gaza, claimed the lives of at least nine Palestinians, including three local journalists. The attack occurred on Saturday as Hamas leaders were in Cairo for ceasefire negotiations. The airstrike targeted a car, killing those inside and critically injuring several others, health officials reported. Among the victims were journalists and photographers, with Palestinian media confirming that at least three local journalists were killed.
The Israeli military initially claimed the strike targeted two "terrorists" operating a drone, which was said to pose a threat to its forces. In a later statement, Israel named six individuals from Hamas and Islamic Jihad as those killed in the strike, claiming they had operated "under the cover of journalists."
This incident highlights the fragile nature of the ceasefire agreement reached on January 19, which halted large-scale fighting in Gaza. Despite the truce, Palestinian health officials report continued Israeli fire, resulting in dozens of casualties. Hamas’ media office leader, Salama Marouf, denied the Israeli claims, stating the team consisted of civilians working for a charity and not posing any threat to Israeli forces.
On the same day, another Israeli airstrike in Juhr Eldeek, central Gaza, killed two more Palestinians. The Israeli military stated it was unaware of the incident.
As the ceasefire talks stalled, Hamas accused Israel of trying to backtrack on the agreement, claiming the death toll since January 19 had reached 150. Hamas urged mediators to pressure Israel into continuing with the ceasefire's phased implementation, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for the deadlock.
In response to recent reports, the Israeli military stated that its forces acted to prevent threats from "terrorists" approaching or planting bombs near its operations. Since the first phase of the ceasefire ended on March 2, Israel has rejected moving forward with negotiations for a permanent end to the war, the primary demand of Hamas.
The ceasefire talks coincided with a visit to Cairo by Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, to continue discussions over the ceasefire agreement. On Friday, Hamas proposed releasing an American-Israeli dual national, Edan Alexander, in exchange for progress on the second phase of the ceasefire. Israel dismissed this offer as "psychological warfare."
The conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel's offensive on Gaza has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, drawing accusations of war crimes and genocide, which Israel denies.
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