Israeli Strikes Kill Three Palestinians, Wound Six in Gaza, Medics Say

At least three Palestinians have been killed and six others wounded in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to health officials, as violence continues despite a year-old ceasefire agreement.

The deaths occurred on Monday, November 2, in two separate locations in the enclave. Medics said two people were killed and six others injured in two airstrikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, while another person died in a separate Israeli strike in Al-Mussadar.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest attacks, according to reports. The incidents came a day after separate Israeli strikes killed at least eight Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, including three people in Gaza City and five police officers in western Khan Younis, according to medics and the Hamas-run interior ministry.

The latest casualties have added to concerns over the fragile ceasefire, which was brokered by the United States and took effect about a year ago. Although the agreement was intended to halt the fighting and pave the way for Gaza’s reconstruction, attacks have continued, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms.

Israel has maintained that Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities and carrying out attacks in breach of the agreement. The Palestinian militant group has denied attempting to launch attacks or rebuild its arsenal, accusing Israel of undermining the ceasefire through continued military operations.

Negotiations over the next stages of the agreement have also made limited progress. Discussions remain deadlocked over Hamas’s disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. Israeli troops currently control about two-thirds of Gaza, according to reports, while the majority of the enclave’s more than two million residents remain concentrated in the remaining area.

The continued attacks have compounded an already severe humanitarian crisis. Much of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged during the war, leaving large numbers of displaced people sheltering in makeshift tents and damaged buildings, with limited access to essential services.

Gaza health officials say at least 1,580 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began. Israel, meanwhile, says four of its soldiers have been killed during the same period.

The latest deaths come against the backdrop of the wider conflict that began after Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking hostages. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza.

With negotiations yet to resolve key disagreements over security arrangements and the future governance of the territory, the latest strikes underline the continuing fragility of the ceasefire and the difficulties facing efforts to secure a lasting end to the conflict.