Israeli strikes kill nine in Gaza amid fragile ceasefire: civil defence agency
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A deadly Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza on Saturday killed nine people, including journalists and humanitarian workers, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.
The attack, which targeted a vehicle in Beit Lahia, has been condemned by Hamas as a "blatant violation" of the ongoing ceasefire.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence, reported that the victims, among them several journalists and workers from the Al-Khair Charitable Organisation, were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their vehicle. Artillery shelling in the same area followed the attack, further escalating tensions.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza confirmed that the casualties had been taken to the Indonesian Hospital, with several others critically wounded.
The Israeli military issued a statement claiming that its forces targeted "two terrorists... operating a drone that posed a threat to IDF troops" in Beit Lahia. It added that a second strike was launched when additional individuals retrieved the drone equipment and entered a vehicle.
Following the incident, Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire, labeling the attack a "horrific massacre." Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated that the victims, including journalists and humanitarian workers, were deliberately targeted despite the ongoing truce.
Ismail Thawabteh, director of Hamas-affiliated media in Gaza, told AFP that the journalists were using a drone to capture footage of a Ramadan dining table when they were attacked. "They were directly targeted in two airstrikes, despite their work being clearly visible," he said.
Although a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since January 19, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have continued, with the military frequently claiming to target militants planting explosives. The first phase of the truce officially ended on March 1, but neither side has fully resumed large-scale hostilities.