Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday killed five people, including a Hamas commander and a nine-year-old boy, Palestinian sources reported. The strikes come despite a ceasefire that took effect in October, but daily violence continues to plague the territory as both sides accuse each other of violating the truce.
Gaza’s civil defense agency said four people died and six were injured when a drone fired two missiles at a car in the western Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. A Gazan security source identified the victims as Hamas commander Iyad al-Shanbari and his son Salah. The source did not disclose the identities of the other two deceased, and there was no immediate comment from Hamas.
In a separate incident, the civil defense agency reported that nine-year-old Adel al-Najjar was killed by an Israeli drone strike alongside artillery shelling east of Khan Yunis. The Israeli military said a suspect near the Yellow Line posed an immediate threat to troops and entered a building, which was subsequently struck by the air force. After a review, a military spokesman acknowledged that an uninvolved individual entered the structure and was likely injured as a result.
On Monday, Gaza medics reported receiving the body of 15-year-old Ayham al-Omari, shot dead in the northern town of Beit Lahiya. The Israeli military stated that soldiers opened fire after identifying a suspect posing an immediate threat.
The ceasefire, which largely halted the full-scale war, has not ended the violence. According to Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations, at least 818 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began. Over the same period, the Israeli military reports that five soldiers have died in Gaza.
The ongoing strikes highlight the fragility of the ceasefire and the persistent tensions in the region. International observers continue to call for restraint and adherence to the truce, but the cycle of violence shows no sign of abating.
Source: ARY News