Ten killed in Israeli strikes and clashes between Hamas and militia in Gaza, local sources say
Ten Killed in Israeli Strikes and Clashes Between Hamas and Militia in Gaza
Local sources report that Israeli airstrikes and confrontations between Hamas and an Israel-aligned Palestinian group in central Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least ten Palestinians. The attacks were aimed at Hamas security personnel who engaged in combat with the militia near the Maghazi refugee camp. While the exact toll from the strikes and the subsequent ground skirmishes is uncertain, al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah confirmed that ten bodies were delivered to its facility. Additional casualties, including several in critical condition, were reported among those injured in the conflict.
Witnesses described how the Israel-backed militia established a checkpoint east of Maghazi, prompting an assault by Hamas forces. This led to intense clashes, during which Israeli drones reportedly targeted Hamas operatives in three separate locations. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas has issued a formal statement on the incident, leaving the details of Monday’s events in dispute.
Accusations and Peace Plan Progress
Israel and Hamas have continued to blame each other for breaching the ceasefire agreement signed nearly six months ago. According to Hamas-controlled health records in Gaza, at least 723 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli attacks since the deal was reached. The Israeli military has acknowledged five of its soldiers killed by Palestinian groups during the same period.
The issue of weapon disarmament has stalled progress toward the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. A Hamas delegation recently met with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo to address a proposal from the U.S.-led peace board, which urged Palestinian factions to dismantle their arms. However, Hamas’s military spokesperson rejected disarmament discussions until Israel fulfills its obligations under the first phase of the plan.
“We will not accept raising the issue of weapons in this crude manner,” said Abu Ubaida, whose relative was killed in an Israeli strike last year. “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.”
Abu Ubaida also tied Hamas’s actions in Gaza to the broader geopolitical conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran’s allies. He praised missile, drone, and rocket strikes by Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, calling them an “extension” of the conflict initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The Gaza war began with Hamas’s assault on southern Israel, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a military operation against Hamas, resulting in over 72,300 deaths in the territory, as per Hamas’s health ministry figures.
