Israel has carried out fresh airstrikes in northern Gaza, killing at least two people, despite claiming to have resumed the fragile ceasefire that has been under strain since a wave of deadly bombardments the night before.
According to Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, Wednesday evening’s attack in Beit Lahiya left two civilians dead. The Israeli military said it targeted a weapons storage site that posed “an immediate threat” to its forces.
The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions following the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah on Tuesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered “powerful” retaliatory attacks, which Gaza’s Health Ministry reported killed 104 people mostly women and children. Israel claimed it had struck senior Hamas fighters before announcing it would resume observing the ceasefire mid-Wednesday.
Despite renewed violence, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the ceasefire “is not in jeopardy.” However, regional mediator Qatar expressed frustration and urged both sides to maintain calm while working toward disarmament talks with Hamas.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing of civilians, calling the attacks “unacceptable,” while UN rights chief Volker Turk described the scale of deaths as “appalling.” The UK, Germany, and the EU joined global calls for all parties to recommit to peace.
Hamas denied involvement in the Rafah shooting and reaffirmed its commitment to the truce but said it would postpone transferring the remains of a deceased captive due to Israel’s violations.
Meanwhile, Israel has barred Red Cross representatives from visiting Palestinian prisoners, a move Hamas says violates international law. The Elders, a group of global statesmen, urged Israel to release Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, calling him a “long-term advocate for peace” and denouncing his continued detention.
As tensions flare, hopes for lasting calm in Gaza hang by a thread, with civilians once again caught in the crossfire of political and military brinkmanship.
