Ten Killed in Israeli Strikes and Clashes with Hamas-Backed Militia in Gaza
According to local reports, at least 10 Palestinians were killed in recent Israeli air strikes and confrontations between Hamas and an Israel-aligned Palestinian group in central Gaza. The attacks reportedly targeted Hamas security forces involved in skirmishes with the militia east of the Maghazi refugee camp. However, the precise number of casualties from the airstrikes versus the ground fighting remains uncertain.
A hospital official in Deir al-Balah stated that ten bodies were delivered to al-Aqsa hospital. Additional individuals were injured, with some in critical condition. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas issued immediate statements regarding the incident.
Sequence of Events Uncertain
Witnesses described how the Israel-backed militia established a checkpoint east of Maghazi, which became a target for Hamas security personnel. This led to an armed confrontation. Israeli drones reportedly joined the battle, conducting strikes on Hamas members in three separate areas.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement, which was signed nearly six months ago. Since then, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza claims 723 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. The Israeli military reports five of its soldiers have also been casualties in similar incidents.
Disarmament as Key Barrier
The issue of disarming militant groups has emerged as a major obstacle in advancing the second phase of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Last week, a Hamas delegation met with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo to discuss the proposal for Palestinian factions to relinquish their weapons. However, the military wing of Hamas rejected the idea of disarmament before Israel met 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 namesake was killed in an Israeli strike the previous year. He emphasized that Hamas would not surrender its arms through political negotiations or diplomacy.
Abu Ubaida also connected the ongoing conflict in Gaza to the broader tensions between Israel and the US, as well as Iran and its allies. He praised missile, drone, and rocket attacks by Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon and Yemen, calling them an extension of Hamas’s actions that began on 7 October 2023.
The Gaza war started with a Hamas assault on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 captives. In response, Israel launched a military operation against Hamas, during which over 72,300 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
