Israeli strikes kill at least four in Gaza, medics say; Israeli military says it targeted militants

Israeli strikes killed at least four Palestinians and wounded several others in the Gaza Strip on Monday 2 November, the territory’s health officials and medics said, Reuters reported.

Medics said two people were killed and six wounded in two separate airstrikes in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, and a third person was killed in a strike in the town of Al-Mussadar. Later on Monday, a strike on a vehicle in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood killed one person and wounded others, medics said. The Palestinian news agency WAFA put Monday’s toll at five, including a child.

The Israeli military said it carried out two strikes targeting Palestinian militants and later said it struck a militant in the Tel al-Hawa area, without giving further details, according to Reuters.

Each side’s position

Israel says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in breach of the ceasefire, and has stepped up strikes in recent weeks. Hamas denies trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza peace deal, Reuters reported.

Background

The US-brokered ceasefire took effect a year ago and calls for eventual reconstruction, but negotiators have not agreed terms for Hamas to disarm or for Israel to withdraw its troops, who control about two-thirds of the territory, Reuters reported. Gaza health officials say at least 1,580 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, while Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

See also: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill eight, including five police officers and a four-year-old boy.