Israel, Hamas bide their time as Gaza peace plan stalls

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and the West Bank resulted in the deaths of five people on Friday, despite a fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States. Two families were killed in their homes in Gaza, while one person died in Gaza City and another in the West Bank. Israeli military confirmed the strikes but denied awareness of the strike in Khan Younis.

Since the ceasefire deal in October, over 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes, according to Gaza health officials. Three Palestinians were killed in a strike in Jenin, with Israel identifying one as Hamas operative Qais Bitawi.

Meanwhile, thousands of sailors remain stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the Iran war, with 19 seafarers killed and 6,000 left on ships unable to depart since the conflict began on February 28. The International Maritime Organization reported at least 70 attacks on international shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a warning against actions undermining national unity in political, security, cultural, social, or economic spheres. He cautioned that even partially supported measures could have negative social consequences, and warned against false divisions and harmful strategies. U.S. diplomats and their family members have started returning to embassies across the Middle East, including Doha, Kuwait City, and Manama, after initially being ordered to leave during the early days of the Iran war.

Hard-liners in Iran oppose an agreement with the U.S., while the U.N.'s maritime agency reported 19 seafarers killed and 6,000 stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the conflict.