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Israeli Strikes Kill Eight Palestinians in Gaza as Ceasefire Nears Anniversary — AI-generated representative image. A devastated residential area in Gaza, where repeated strikes continue to claim lives as the ceasefire nears its first annive

Editorial Team

US-brokered truce fails to halt violence as stalled Hamas disarmament talks freeze Gaza reconstruction efforts

At least eight Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in Israeli strikes and gunfire across Gaza on Thursday and Friday, according to local medical sources and rescue workers, as the US-brokered ceasefire approaches its first anniversary without ending the violence.

Seven people were reported killed on Thursday, including three in drone strikes on a vehicle and a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City. On Friday, Israeli troops reportedly shot dead a Palestinian man near refugee camps in central Gaza, wounding several others.

The renewed casualties underscore how the truce, which took effect on October 10, 2025, has failed to halt hostilities despite its stated goals of Israeli troop withdrawals and reconstruction. More than 1,450 Palestinians have been killed and over 5,000 wounded since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

The ongoing violence has left nearly all of Gaza's 2.1 million residents displaced, with aid groups warning that reconstruction has barely started amid stalled political negotiations.

Latest Casualties and Military Response

The Civil Defense Service reported that two people, a woman and a child, were killed and others wounded when Israeli aircraft bombed a residential building in Gaza City. Another woman was killed by artillery fire, while a separate fatality was reported in central Gaza.

The Israeli military told AFP that three of those killed were members of armed groups and said it was checking reports concerning the other four deaths. Israel has continued to conduct strikes throughout the ceasefire period, saying it is targeting militants and accusing Hamas of violating the agreement.

Ceasefire Stalls Over Disarmament Dispute

The agreement envisioned Israeli troop withdrawals and reconstruction, but progress has stalled over Hamas disarmament demands. Hamas said it had agreed in principle to a US-backed proposal but would not surrender its weapons until Israeli forces had withdrawn completely.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded that Hamas disarm before further withdrawals. He has also said he ordered the Israel Defense Forces to expand its control to 70% of Gaza, up from roughly 53% when the ceasefire took effect.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 74,200 Palestinians and wounded over 175,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Humanitarian Toll and Aid Group Warnings

UK-based aid group Islamic Relief said on Thursday that an average of one Palestinian has been killed or wounded every 90 minutes over the past year, with at least 320 children among those killed.

Around 82% of Gaza's structures have been damaged or destroyed, according to Islamic Relief, while reconstruction has barely begun. Nearly all of the enclave's residents have been displaced during the war, which has left much of Gaza in ruins.

What Lies Ahead

Netanyahu has also faced scrutiny over reports that he received advance warnings of the October 7 attack but downplayed the threat. Haaretz reported that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed had warned him of a possible major Hamas operation roughly ten days beforehand. Netanyahu's office dismissed the allegation as an "absolute lie," and the Israeli leader traveled to Abu Dhabi in late September to seek a denial of the claim.

With disarmament negotiations unresolved and no confirmed timeline for further Israeli withdrawals, the prospects for a durable end to the fighting remain uncertain.

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