At least nine Palestinians, including three local journalists, were killed and several others injured on Saturday due to an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya, located in northern Gaza, according to the local health ministry. This incident occurred while Hamas leaders were engaged in ceasefire negotiations with mediators in Cairo.
Health officials reported that several individuals sustained critical injuries when the airstrike targeted a vehicle, affecting both those inside and outside the car, as reported by Reuters.
Witnesses and fellow journalists indicated that the occupants of the vehicle were on a mission for the Al-Khair Foundation, a charity based in Beit Lahiya, and were accompanied by journalists and photographers at the time of the attack. Palestinian media confirmed that at least three local journalists were among the deceased.
The Israeli military stated that it had targeted two individuals identified as “terrorists” who were operating a drone that allegedly posed a threat to its forces in Beit Lahiya. Subsequently, the military conducted further strikes on additional suspects who were said to have gathered drone equipment and entered a vehicle.
However, the military did not clarify how it determined that the individuals targeted were “terrorists” or provide specifics regarding the threat the drone allegedly posed to its soldiers.
This incident highlights the precarious nature of the ceasefire agreement established on January 19, which had aimed to halt extensive hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian health officials report that numerous individuals have been killed by Israeli fire despite the ongoing truce.
Salama Marouf, head of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, refuted the military’s claims. He stated, “The team consisted of civilians engaged in a mission near a shelter sponsored by a charity. They were not in a restricted area and did not pose any threat to the occupation army.”
CEASEFIRE STALEMATE
On Saturday, medical personnel in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike in the town of Juhr Eldeek, located in the central Gaza Strip, resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians. The Israeli military has not provided an immediate response.
In a statement, the Palestinian militant group accused Israel of attempting to backtrack on the ceasefire agreement, claiming that the death toll of Palestinians since January 19 has reached 150.
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They called on mediators to pressure Israel to proceed with the phased ceasefire implementation, attributing the deadlock to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In response to some incidents reported by Gaza medics, the Israeli military stated that its forces have acted to counter threats posed by “terrorists” approaching their positions or planting explosives in areas where they operate.
Since the initial phase of the ceasefire ended on March 2, Israel has declined to initiate the second phase of negotiations, which would involve discussions on a permanent cessation of hostilities, a primary demand from Hamas.
This situation coincided with a visit by Khalil Al-Hayya, the exiled leader of Hamas in Gaza, to Cairo for further discussions on the ceasefire aimed at addressing conflicts with Israel that could lead to renewed fighting in the region.
On Friday, Hamas announced its willingness to release an American-Israeli dual citizen if Israel agrees to commence the next phase of ceasefire negotiations aimed at achieving a lasting peace, a proposal that Israel dismissed as “psychological warfare.”
Hamas indicated that it would release Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier from New Jersey, following a proposal from mediators regarding the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel has expressed a desire to extend the temporary first phase of the ceasefire, a suggestion supported by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. In contrast, Hamas has stated that it will only continue releasing hostages under the second phase of negotiations.
The conflict erupted when Hamas launched a cross-border attack into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
