Israeli military kills two in new Gaza attack despite ‘resuming’ ceasefire

Despite announcing a resumption of the fragile ceasefire, Israel's military carried out another deadly airstrike in northern Gaza on Wednesday evening. The attack took place in Gaza’s Beit Lahiya area, where at least two people were reported killed according to al-Shifa Hospital. Israel defended the strike, stating it targeted a weapons storage site that posed an immediate threat to its troops. This incident came just a day after a heavy bombardment on Tuesday night, which was the strongest since the ceasefire went into effect on October 10. That earlier wave of strikes was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in retaliation to the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah, southern Gaza. The resulting bombardment killed 104 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel claimed the attacks killed several senior Hamas fighters. Despite the violence, Israel declared it would resume observing the ceasefire by mid-Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the ceasefire was intact, even after these deadly strikes. Regional mediator Qatar voiced frustration over the ongoing violence but emphasized that efforts were still focused on the next phase of the truce, which includes disarming Hamas. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the renewed violence has deeply shaken the population. Al Jazeera's correspondent Hani Mahmoud described the situation as a heartbreaking reversal, where a brief hope for calm quickly turned to despair. Many residents, like Khadija al-Husni, a displaced mother living in a refugee camp, expressed anger and sorrow. She said the attacks came just as people had started to breathe again and try rebuilding their lives, calling the situation a crime—either there is a war or a truce, not both. The United Nations also condemned the violence. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric called out the killing of civilians, including children, in recent Israeli airstrikes. UN rights chief Volker Turk described the high death toll as appalling and urged all parties to hold on to peace efforts. Similar calls came from the UK, Germany, and the European Union, pushing for recommitment to the ceasefire. Hamas denied any involvement in the shooting incident that resulted in the Israeli soldier’s death and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire. However, it postponed transferring the remains of a deceased captive as a response to Israel’s violations of the truce, which Israel saw as stalling. Hamas warned that any Israeli escalation could hinder efforts to recover bodies. On the humanitarian front, Israel has officially barred Red Cross representatives from visiting Palestinian prisoners, citing security concerns. Hamas condemned this ban, describing it as a violation of prisoners’ rights and highlighting ongoing issues like torture, starvation, and killings. The Elders, a group of former world leaders, called for the release of Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who remains in Israeli custody despite being included in Hamas' list of prisoners for release as part of the ceasefire deal. Barghouti, often called the Palestinian Nelson Mandela, is serving multiple life sentences for attacks Israel attributes to him, claims he denies. The Elders urged U.S. President Donald Trump to push for his release, emphasizing Barghouti’s role as a longstanding advocate for a peaceful two-state solution.