Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in Gaza on Monday, near Rafah in the southern part of the Strip, an area still occupied by Israel, as reported by local health officials. This incident added tension to the fragile ceasefire supported by the United States.
The Israeli military stated earlier in the day that they had identified “terrorists” crossing the yellow line, a boundary marking the areas under Israeli control. The military claimed that these individuals posed an immediate threat to troops in southern Gaza, prompting the strike. However, no evidence was provided to support this claim.
Medical personnel confirmed that one of the deceased was a woman, while the identities of the other two victims were not immediately disclosed.
Recent days have seen Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, leading to mutual accusations between Hamas and Israel regarding violations of the tentative ceasefire that ended two years of conflict.
Reports from residents indicated ongoing house demolitions by Israeli forces in eastern Rafah, Khan Younis, and Gaza City, where Israeli operations persist.
The ceasefire, effective since October 10, has quelled much of the violence, enabling hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to their damaged homes in Gaza. Israeli troops have withdrawn from urban positions, allowing increased aid to enter the region.
Hamas released all 20 living hostages held in Gaza in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees held by Israel. However, the process of returning the bodies of hostages remains incomplete, with Hamas citing difficulties and Israel accusing the group of delaying.
Despite the ceasefire, violence has not ceased entirely. Palestinian health authorities reported that Israeli forces have killed 239 individuals in Gaza since the truce, with almost half of the casualties occurring in a single day following an attack on Israeli troops.
In a recent development, the Gaza Health Ministry received 45 bodies of Palestinians killed by Israel, previously held by Israeli authorities. This handover brought the total number of returned bodies to 270, but only 78 have been identified due to challenges, including signs of abuse and torture on the remains. The ministry faces obstacles in identifying bodies, exacerbated by the lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza, resorting to posting photos online in hopes of family recognition.
Israel confirmed the return of three soldiers’ remains on Sunday, with Hamas having handed over 20 out of 28 bodies of deceased hostages buried in Gaza.
Additionally, Israel provided more Palestinian bodies to Gaza following the return of hostages’ remains, as shown in a video confirming the identities of the soldiers returned by Hamas.