Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Kill Nine Palestinians as Ceasefire Efforts Remain Stalled

At least nine Palestinians, including five members of the same family, were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Thursday, according to local health officials. The latest Gaza attacks highlight the continuing violence despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Medical sources reported that Israeli warplanes targeted four residential apartments almost simultaneously before dawn, leaving at least nine people dead and 15 others injured. Among the victims were two parents and three relatives from a single family, underscoring the growing civilian toll of the conflict.

The Israeli military did not immediately issue a statement regarding the reported strikes. Witness footage from the scene showed a heavily damaged residential building with burned furniture and debris scattered across nearby roads. Videos circulating on Palestinian social media appeared to show residents attempting to recover bodies from a burning apartment, though the footage could not be independently verified.

The violence comes amid ongoing tensions following the collapse of efforts to advance the next phase of a ceasefire agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The proposed second phase includes discussions on Hamas’ disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but negotiations have reached a deadlock.

Since the war began after Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel in October 2023, Israel has expanded its control over more than half of the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials maintain that military operations are conducted to prevent imminent attacks and insist that humanitarian aid and essential goods continue to enter the enclave.

According to Gaza health authorities, approximately 930 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect. The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. During the same period, Israel’s military reported that four Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes with Palestinian militants.

The ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict continues to raise concerns among international observers as efforts to secure a lasting peace remain uncertain.