The Israeli military conducted an airstrike in central Gaza, targeting an alleged member of Islamic Jihad, to prevent a planned attack against Israeli forces. The operation in the Nuseirat area proceeded despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump.
The military stated that IDF troops in the Southern Command were deployed in line with the ceasefire pact and would continue to act against any immediate threats. Hamas refrained from an immediate response to the military’s assertion.
Amidst a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, reports from witnesses indicated a drone strike on a vehicle in Gaza, causing injuries to four individuals but no reported fatalities. Witnesses also observed Israeli tanks shelling eastern parts of Gaza City, the primary urban hub in the territory.
Israeli media sources highlighted a shift in policy as Egypt’s representatives were permitted entry into Gaza to aid in locating the bodies of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which initiated the ongoing conflict. Per the ceasefire terms, Hamas committed to returning all kidnapped hostages, with 18 victims’ remains remaining in the enclave.
Additionally, Hamas released all 20 Israeli hostages alive from the October 7, 2023 attacks. The hostages were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross and have since been reunited with their families in Israel.