On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes led to the deaths of at least eight Palestinians, including five police officers, in two different incidents in the Gaza Strip, according to reports from medics and the Hamas-run interior ministry.
According to reports three people were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City, while the interior ministry confirmed that five police officers lost their lives in another strike in western Khan Younis, situated in the southern part of the enclave.
The Israeli military mentioned that it targeted several militants in Khan Younis but didn’t share any additional details. They also didn’t respond right away to questions about the airstrike in Gaza City.
Israel asserts that the Hamas militant group has been rearming and launching attacks, breaching a ceasefire that has been active for a year, which has led to a rise in strikes against the group in recent weeks.
On the other hand, Hamas has denied any claims of attempting to launch attacks or restock its weapons, accusing Israel of breaching the peace agreement for Gaza.
The ceasefire, which was facilitated by the US last year, includes plans for the eventual reconstruction of the area. However, progress has been sluggish as negotiators find it challenging to agree on the terms for Hamas to disarm or for Israel to pull back its forces, which currently occupy about two-thirds of the territory and have instructed residents to evacuate.
Almost all of the more than 2 million inhabitants reside in the remaining third of the enclave, which is surrounded by the remnants of conflict, primarily living in temporary tents and damaged structures, still firmly under the control of Hamas.
Health officials in the area indicate that at least 1,500 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza since the ceasefire, while Israel reports that four of its soldiers have been killed.
Palestinian authorities says that over 74,000 individuals have died during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which commenced after Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
