Gaza's civil defence, medical sources say Israeli strikes kill two

Israel's military carried out strikes in Gaza, killing two Palestinians and destroying warehouses near a hospital that were reportedly storing medicine. The targets were identified as Hamas militants, though this claim was not substantiated. The Deir al-Balah strike destroyed two warehouses and the hospital's outpatient clinic, which held essential medical supplies for dialysis patients and other materials.

Hospitals and civilian sites are protected under international laws, though this protection can be forfeited if they are used for military purposes. Israel maintains that Hamas and other armed groups operate from civilian areas and facilities, including hospitals. The Israeli military stated that they targeted a Hamas hideout near the hospital, which was used for storing weapons.

Other sites used by Hamas to store arms were also targeted. The strikes were directed by the Shin Bet intelligence agency. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the hospital's doctor condemned the strike, saying it targeted a warehouse with medical supplies used to treat kidney failure patients. Displaced Palestinians living near the warehouses reported that many people seeking medical care had been sheltering there, close to the hospital.

Israel has continued to carry out strikes in Gaza since agreeing to a US-mediated ceasefire in October, during which 1,222 Palestinians were killed, mostly women and children. Hamas rarely announces its casualties. The US President Donald Trump claimed a breakthrough in his plan to end the war, which included Hamas agreeing to lay down its weapons.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented, while his National Security Minister criticized the agreement and called for continuing the policy of assassinating Hamas leaders. The Israeli military also announced the killing of several Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, while a US embassy in a Middle Eastern capital warned American citizens to beware of an unforeseen escalation and urged them to be prepared to leave.