April 22 - Health officials in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday killed five Palestinians, including three children, in the northern part of the coastal enclave.
Medics and civil defence personnel said the victims were hit by a strike close to a mosque in Beit Lahiya, located in the north of Gaza. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The five deaths come amid continuing incidents of violence that have complicated the implementation of a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and signed in October. That ceasefire followed two years of full-scale war between Israel and Hamas.
Officials and observers say progress on key elements of the ceasefire has stalled. Among the provisions reported as unresolved are the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli army units from parts of the territory.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israeli forces have remained in control of a depopulated area that comprises well over half of Gaza, while Hamas retains control of the remaining narrow coastal strip.
Local medics report that more than 780 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect. In parallel, Israeli authorities say militants have killed four of its soldiers. Both sides have exchanged accusations of violating the ceasefire.
Details about the circumstances of the strike near the mosque in Beit Lahiya, including the specific target and the sequence of events leading to the fatalities, were not provided by the military at the time the deaths were reported by Gaza health and civil defence officials.
Context and implications
The reported fatalities reinforce a pattern of recurring violence since the October agreement and highlight persistent obstacles to implementing its key terms. Local casualty figures and the reciprocal claims of violations underline the fragility of the cessation of hostilities and the challenges in achieving the ceasefire’s full terms.