Ten killed in Israeli strikes and clashes between Hamas and militia in Gaza, local sources say
Ten Killed in Israeli Strikes and Clashes Between Hamas and Militia in Gaza, Local Sources Say
Local reports indicate at least 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes and confrontations involving Hamas and an Israel-backed Palestinian group in central Gaza. The attacks reportedly aimed at Hamas security forces who had engaged in combat with the militia near the Maghazi refugee camp. The precise count of casualties from the strikes or ground clashes remains uncertain.
A hospital official in Deir al-Balah confirmed that 10 bodies were brought to the facility. Additional injuries were reported, with some patients in critical condition. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas has issued a formal statement regarding the incident, leaving the details of Monday’s events ambiguous.
Sequence of Events and Ceasefire Tensions
Witnesses described how the Israel-backed militia established a checkpoint east of Maghazi, prompting an assault by Hamas security personnel. This led to direct clashes. Israeli drones reportedly intervened, targeting Hamas members in three locations. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement, which was reached nearly six months ago.
The conflict over disarmament has emerged as a major obstacle to advancing the second phase of Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Recently, a Hamas delegation participated in talks with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo. They addressed a proposal from the US-led Board of Peace for Palestinian groups to dismantle their weapons.
Political Stance and Broader Conflict
Hamas’s military wing spokesperson rejected disarmament discussions before Israel fulfilled its obligations under the first phase of Trump’s plan. “We will not accept raising the issue of weapons in this crude manner,” stated Abu Ubaida, whose namesake was killed in an Israeli strike the previous year. He emphasized that political negotiations would not allow Israel to seize control through tactics like those used in the war.
Abu Ubaida also tied Hamas’s actions in Gaza to the larger Israel-US and Iran-allied conflict. He praised missile, drone, and rocket attacks by Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon and Yemen, calling them an “extension” of Hamas’s initial strike on southern Israel. The Gaza war began with that attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, the health ministry in Gaza reports more than 72,300 fatalities from Israeli military operations.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously warned that Hamas would be disarmed “either the easy way or the hard way.” The current tensions highlight the ongoing struggle between military action and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
