Israel carries out first Gaza strike in more than week, one killed

On Wednesday, Israel launched its first air strike in Gaza in over a week, resulting in the death of one person, according to both sides. This marked a break from the relative quiet that had prevailed following a peace plan proposed by the United States. The Israeli military claimed the target was a Hamas commander who had allegedly been plotting attacks against IDF troops in the region.

The military stated they aimed to neutralize the threat to their forces while minimizing civilian casualties. However, Gaza's civil defense agency reported that the strike in Beit Lahia, a northern Gaza Strip area, resulted in the death of Mohanad Saada and injuries to five others. The agency and Al-Shifa Hospital stated that Saada was among a group repairing a wall damaged by Israeli shelling at the time of the strike.

A witness confirmed Saada's presence among the group. Despite a week-long lull in Israeli airstrikes, the military renewed its aerial bombardment on Wednesday. Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told AFP that this was the first such attack since August 3, after US President Donald Trump announced a significant step in his peace plan.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the deal and vowed no Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, even after the Board of Peace reassured him that Israel would not need to withdraw until Hamas was fully disarmed. Since the October ceasefire, Israeli operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of 1,259 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry under Hamas authority. Israeli forces have also reported five deaths during the same period.