An Israeli military airstrike resulted in the deaths of at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to health officials on Monday. The strike targeted a group of men outside a school in Deir al-Balah, killing three individuals. Another person was killed and one was injured in a separate strike at a cafe in Gaza City. The Israeli military did not provide any comments on these incidents.
At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, the bodies of the deceased were seen covered in white shrouds outside the morgue as grieving relatives and friends paid their respects. One relative, Umm Hussam Abu El-Rous, expressed frustration, stating that the current situation is not a truce but a continuous cycle of loss and grief for the Palestinian community.
The Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, which came into effect on October 9, 2025, aimed to end two years of intense conflict in Gaza. However, Israeli attacks have persisted in the region, with more than 750 Palestinians reported killed since the ceasefire began. Israeli authorities have confirmed that four Israeli soldiers lost their lives during this period. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.
Palestinian sources claim that Israeli forces have been shifting yellow concrete markers westward, a claim that Israel denies. Efforts to implement the second phase of the Gaza deal are underway, with Hamas and other Palestinian factions meeting with mediators from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar in Cairo. The proposed plan by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace entails Hamas gradually disarming over an eight-month period under the supervision of a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee.
However, Hamas insists that progress on disarmament can only proceed after Israel fulfills the initial phase of Trump’s ceasefire deal, which includes a comprehensive cessation of hostilities in Gaza. Israeli military officials have warned of a potential return to full-scale conflict if Hamas does not comply with disarmament requirements.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas-initiated attack on Israel that claimed 1,200 lives, according to Israeli reports. Subsequently, Israel’s two-year campaign resulted in the deaths of over 72,000 Palestinians, as reported by health authorities in Gaza, and left the region severely devastated.