Two Palestinians died and five were injured in an Israeli attack east of Gaza City on Thursday, according to hospital officials. The deaths add to mounting casualties that have occurred since the October ceasefire began, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting 618 Palestinians killed during the truce period.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hospital officials confirmed that two Palestinians lost their lives and five others sustained injuries during an Israeli attack Thursday in an area east of Gaza City. Fadel Naeem, who serves as director of Al-Ahli Hospital, reported receiving the casualties at his medical facility.
Israeli military representatives did not provide immediate statements regarding the incident.
Fatal Israeli attacks have consistently undermined the ceasefire agreement that began on October 10th. The growing number of Palestinian casualties has led many Gaza residents to express that the conflict appears to continue without pause.
In a separate incident Thursday, Israeli military forces reported killing a Palestinian individual who had crossed the boundary separating the Israeli-controlled section of Gaza from areas where most Palestinians are concentrated. These types of shootings have become routine occurrences in the region since the ceasefire implementation.
Military officials characterized the deceased individual as a militant who threatened their personnel. This description is typically used when describing most Palestinians shot near the boundary line, despite civilian casualties including young children, according to a military representative who spoke anonymously to follow military protocols.
The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a report Wednesday stating that 2025 recorded the highest number of journalist and media worker deaths since the organization started tracking this data over thirty years ago. The report documented at least 129 journalist and media worker fatalities, with Israel responsible for two-thirds of these deaths.
Among the conflict’s casualties was Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old freelance contributor to The Associated Press. Dagga and four additional reporters died when Israeli forces targeted Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, killing 17 additional individuals in the same strike.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Wednesday that 618 Palestinians have died since the ceasefire began, raising the total death count to 72,082 since Israel’s military campaign started. The ministry operates under Hamas leadership but maintains comprehensive casualty documentation that United Nations agencies and independent analysts consider generally credible. However, their records do not separate civilian and militant casualties.
The ceasefire agreement shows mixed results, with significant obstacles remaining on crucial issues. Following initial chaotic weeks, officials note increased Palestinian movement through the reopened Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. However, the Palestinian technical committee designated to manage Gaza’s daily operations has not gained entry to the territory. International peacekeeping forces intended to maintain Gaza security are being planned but no personnel have been stationed there yet.
Israel and Hamas continue disagreeing about the timeline and extent of Israeli military withdrawal and Gaza’s demilitarization following nearly twenty years under Hamas control.
The conflict originated when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians. The 251 individuals taken hostage during that attack have been returned to Israel through various ceasefire negotiations. The remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the final body held in Gaza, were recovered and returned in January, facilitating progress in ceasefire discussions. The war has generated global demonstrations and genocide accusations that Israel rejects.