Israeli airstrikes kill two in Gaza as ceasefire holds under strain

Two Israeli airstrikes in the central Gaza Strip claimed at least two lives, including a four-year-old boy, and left seven others injured on Sunday, Palestinian medical officials reported. The attacks came as Israel threatened to escalate military action against Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups, alleging the continued launches of balloons, drones and kites from Gaza towards Israeli territory.

One strike targeted a building in Zawayda, prompting residents to warn residents to evacuate, while the other hit the Nuseirat refugee camp. Witnesses described the aftermath of the strikes, noting flying debris and shrapnel scattered across dozens of meters from both sites, leading to the death of Mohammad Abdel-Salam Taha and injuries to six others.

Both incidents remain under investigation by the Israeli military. The ceasefire agreement brokered in October 2025 aimed to halt major fighting in Gaza but has not prevented ongoing Israeli military operations, which Israel claims are in response to attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. Meanwhile, violence also raged in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with an Israeli man stabbed in an attack near Jericho and a 14-year-old boy killed during an Israeli raid on an Askar refugee camp.

The conflict continues to stymie efforts for a lasting political resolution, with both Israel and Hamas deeply divided over the terms of an agreement to end the conflict.