Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least five Palestinians on Saturday, according to health officials, in two separate attacks.
Medics said one strike near Panda Mall in Gaza City killed four people, while a second strike in the Tuffah neighbourhood, further south in the city, killed one. The Israeli military said both strikes targeted fighters but did not provide further details.
Israel accuses Hamas of rearming during truce
Israel has intensified its strikes on Hamas in recent weeks, saying the group has been rebuilding its weapons and carrying out attacks in breach of the ceasefire. Hamas denies rebuilding its arsenal or planning attacks, and accuses Israel of undermining the US-brokered agreement reached a year ago.
The truce provides for eventual reconstruction of the territory, but little progress has been made on a broader deal that would require Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.
More than 1,400 killed since October truce
Gaza health officials said at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce was agreed last October. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by fighters in Gaza over the same period.
The war began with Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations since then have killed more than 74,000 people, according to Gaza health officials.
