CAIRO: An Israeli air strike on Monday killed three Palestinian men in the Gaza Strip, medics said, with no sign of progress from renewed talks on sustaining a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas.
In the latest bloodshed to underline the fragility of the Gaza war’s three-stage truce, medics said the men were killed near Bureij camp in the centre of the devastated Palestinian enclave by a missile fired from a drone.
In Rafah, southern Gaza, medics said three people were wounded in another air strike. Rafah residents have reported frequent fire by Israeli forces near the border with Egypt, inside the city boundaries.
The Israeli military said in a statement it carried out attacks in central Gaza and Rafah against “terrorists” operating near their forces and attempting to plant bombs.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said the three men killed were from the same family and were collecting firewood for cooking during an Israeli ban on food products entering Gaza.
He urged Israel to stop “violations” that he said could “undermine all efforts for de-escalation”.
He put the number of Palestinians killed since the January ceasefire at 150.
Israel’s military says it has repeatedly thwarted attempts by Palestinians to plant bombs or otherwise threaten their forces.
Israel’s suspension of goods entering Gaza for 16 days has increased pressure on Gaza’s 2.3 million people, most of who have been made homeless by the war.
Israeli air strike kills nine in Gaza, local ministry says, during ceasefire disputes
The suspension, which Israel said was aimed at pressuring Hamas in ceasefire talks, applies to food, medicine, and fuel imports.
Bakeries closed
Several bakeries have recently closed and food prices are rising, while the electricity cut could deprive people of clean water.
Israel wants to extend the first phase of the ceasefire mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., a proposal backed by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Hamas says it will resume freeing hostages only under the second phase that was due to begin on March 2.
Israel and Hamas have been holding successive talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said on Monday that while his group was complying with the terms of the truce, Israel “seeks to foil the agreement and impose new conditions”.
On Friday, Hamas said it had agreed to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four bodies of the hostages if Israel agreed to begin talks immediately on implementing the second phase of the agreement. Israel accused Hamas of waging “psychological warfare” on hostage families.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said negotiators had been instructed to be ready to continue talks based on the mediators’ response to a U.S. proposal for the release of 11 out of 59 living hostages still held, and half of the dead captives.
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