At least five Palestinians have been killed in strikes in the Gaza Strip, health officials say. Medics report that four people were killed near the Panda Mall in Gaza City in one of the Israeli strikes, while one person was killed in another strike in the Tuffah district, south of the city.
Israel's military said both strikes targeted militants, without providing further details. In recent weeks, Israel has intensified strikes against Hamas, claiming the militant group is rearming and carrying out attacks in violation of the ceasefire.
Hamas denies claims that it is rebuilding its arsenal or planning attacks, and accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago through US mediation.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the US a year ago, now presents a radically different picture in the parties' interpretations. Israel speaks of violations and rearmament, while Hamas denies this and accuses the other side. Under these conditions, casualty figures in Gaza are difficult to verify from independent sources, and the parties' statements are often mutually exclusive.
What is happening now shows that the mechanisms for maintaining the ceasefire are in practice far more fragile than the text of the document. Two strikes, five dead, two contradictory interpretations: this is the minimum that can be recorded without elevating one side's account above the other's.
In the coming weeks, the most important thing, perhaps, is not the clarification of the death toll, but whether the parties will continue to remain within the framework of the ceasefire or will finally abandon it.
