Palestinian officials said dozens of people were killed in Israeli fires despite the truce halted on January 19. Israel’s military said that since the ceasefire came into effect, “terrorists” approaching the troops or bomb-planting forces have intervened in the threat.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the most of the latest deaths occurred on Saturday when Israeli air strikes killed nine Palestinians, including four journalists in the town of Bet Rahia in the Northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military said six men were identified as members of Hamas’ armed wings and the Allied Islamic Jihadist group was killed during a strike. The military added that some militants “under the cover of journalists.”
Salama Marouf, head of the Gaza government media office run by Hamas, said the military’s statement on the incident included the names of people who were absent. Marouf said it was based on inaccurate reports on social media “even reluctant to verify the facts.”
Gaza health officials said an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of Palestinians in the town of Juhr Eldeek in central Gadgaza on Sunday, killing a 62-year-old man and killing others, at least several men killed Israelis and at least four Palestinians died in an Israeli strike on Saturday. Added.
The Israeli military said the reported drone strike was not familiar.
Phase 2 dialogue
The ongoing bloodshed in Gaza underscores the vulnerability of the three-phase ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States that have stepped in to hammer the agreement between Israel and Hamas on how to proceed.
Israel hopes to expand the first phase of the ceasefire, a proposal supported by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Hamas said it will resume releasing hostages only in the second phase that will begin on March 2.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Saturday that negotiators have been directed to continue negotiations based on mediators’ response to the U.S. proposal to release 11 living hostages and half of dead prisoners.
