Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire in Gaza’s Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood, located west of Rafah, according to Civil Defence officials in the enclave. The Israeli military has stated it is investigating the reported incident, Reuters news agency revealed on Thursday.
The attack occurred despite a recently agreed-upon ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began on Sunday. This initial phase, expected to span six weeks, includes a limited exchange of prisoners and captives, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and an increased flow of humanitarian aid into the region.
In central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported that over 3,200 aid trucks have entered the territory within the first four days of the ceasefire. He described the arrival of aid as providing partial relief, with humanitarian organisations distributing supplies at various centres across Gaza.
Civilians have been queuing at these centres in desperation to obtain much-needed provisions. However, challenges persist as families grapple with the destruction of their homes by the Israeli military, exacerbated by adverse weather and the search for alternative shelters.
Since the start of Israel’s recent military offensive on October 7, 2023, at least 47,283 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 111,472 injured. The conflict escalated with Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,139 people in Israel and resulted in over 200 individuals being taken captive, according to Israeli figures. The West Bank has also witnessed significant tensions during this period, further illustrating the widespread impact of Israeli military actions.
