Gaza City airstrike kills two Palestinians, injures others amid ceasefire talks

On July 5 an Israeli airstrike struck the Omar Al‑Mokhtar road in the centre of Gaza City, killing at least two Palestinians and wounding several others. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. The strike occurred despite a U.S.–mediated cease‑fire between Israel and Hamas that has been in place since October, with both sides accusing each other of violations; U.N. envoy Nikolay Mladenov said both parties have breached the truce.

Since the cease‑fire began eight months ago, the parties report that more than 1,060 Palestinians, many civilians, and four Israeli soldiers have been killed. A separate series of Israeli strikes on July 7 in Khan Younis killed a man, wounded two children in the Mawasi area, and later hit a tent camp housing displaced families, killing one person and wounding five. Israel says the attacks target Hamas militants. The sustained bombing has displaced nearly the entire 2 million‑person population of Gaza, many now living in tents or damaged buildings.

The ongoing hostilities continue to undermine humanitarian conditions and halt progress on the second phase of the cease‑fire agreement, which includes Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawals.