Ten killed in Israeli strikes and clashes between Hamas and militia in Gaza, local sources say
Local reports indicate at least 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes and Hamas-militia clashes in Gaza
According to local sources, Israeli air strikes and confrontations between Hamas and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia in central Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 10 Palestinians. The strikes reportedly targeted Hamas security personnel who had clashed with members of the militia east of the Maghazi refugee camp. However, the exact number of casualties from the strikes versus the ground fighting remains uncertain.
A spokesperson from al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah stated that ten bodies from the incident site were transported to the facility. Dozens of others sustained injuries, with some in critical condition, they noted. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas has issued an immediate statement on the events.
Casualties and Incident Details
The timeline of Monday’s events remains unclear, though witnesses reported that the Israel-backed militia established a checkpoint east of the Maghazi refugee camp, which was then assaulted by Hamas security forces, sparking clashes. Witnesses also claimed that Israeli drones supported the militia, launching strikes on Hamas personnel in three distinct areas.
Ceasefire Disputes and Peace Plan
Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement they established nearly six months prior. The disarmament issue has been a major obstacle in advancing the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace initiative. Last week, a Hamas delegation engaged with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo to discuss a U.S.-led proposal urging Palestinian factions to dismantle their weapons.
On Sunday, the spokesperson for Hamas’s military wing dismissed any disarmament discussions until Israel fulfills its obligations under the initial phase of Trump’s plan. “What the enemy failed to take from us by tanks and destruction, it will not take from us through politics or at the negotiating table,” said Abu Ubaida, whose namesake was killed in an Israeli strike last year.
Abu Ubaida, whose namesake was killed in an Israeli strike last year, asserted, “What the enemy failed to take from us by tanks and destruction, it will not take from us through politics or at the negotiating table.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously warned Hamas that it will be disarmed “either the easy way or the hard way.” Abu Ubaida also linked Hamas’s actions in Gaza to the broader conflict between Israel and the U.S., Iran, and its allies. He praised missile, drone, and rocket attacks on Israel by Iranian forces and their proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, as an “extension” of what Hamas initiated on October 7, 2023.
The Gaza conflict began with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has led to over 72,300 casualties in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.