Israeli Fire Kills Two in Northern Gaza as Violence Persists Despite Ceasefire

By Emmanuel Bobby

Israeli fire killed two Palestinians in the Tuffah neighborhood of the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, while an Israeli drone strike wounded four additional civilians in a separate incident in Gaza City, according to local health authorities.

Medical officials said the drone strike occurred when an unmanned aircraft detonated an explosive on the rooftop of a multi-story residential building in Gaza City. The blast injured four civilians who were on the street near the building at the time of the explosion. The victims were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military regarding either incident.

The latest violence comes amid ongoing instability in Gaza, despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect last October. Large parts of the enclave remain devastated following more than a year of intense fighting that erupted after a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israeli authorities say that attack killed about 1,200 people.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 71,000 people—most of them civilians—have been killed by Israeli fire since the conflict began. The ministry also reported that at least 480 people have died as a result of Israeli military actions since the ceasefire agreement went into effect, underscoring the fragility of the truce.

Israel, for its part, has said that four of its soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza since the ceasefire began. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement, with each side blaming the other for continued clashes and deadly incidents.

Earlier this month, Washington announced that the ceasefire framework had entered its second phase. Under this phase, Israel is expected to withdraw additional troops from parts of Gaza, while Hamas is to relinquish control of the territory’s civil administration. The transition, however, has been marked by delays and renewed violence on the ground.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Israel on Saturday and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to two people briefed on the matter. The discussions reportedly focused primarily on the situation in Gaza and efforts to stabilize the ceasefire as sporadic fighting continues.

Meanwhile, tensions were also evident in southern Gaza. In Khan Younis, more than a hundred mourners gathered on Saturday for the funeral of a man killed by Israeli drone fire a day earlier. The funeral procession followed special prayers held at the morgue of Nasser Hospital, where the victim’s body, wrapped in a white shroud, was laid out.

“They are liars, there is no ceasefire,” said Fares Erheimat, a relative of the deceased, expressing anger and frustration during the funeral. His remarks reflected growing skepticism among Gaza residents about the durability of the truce, as violence continues to claim lives across the enclave.