The Israeli military carried out airstrikes in Gaza on Wednesday, targeting two individuals attempting to retrieve an Israeli drone that entered Palestinian territory before being downed. The strike comes as international mediators work to maintain a fragile ceasefire agreement.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the drone crossed from Israel into Gaza and was subsequently struck by an Israeli warplane in the southern part of the enclave. The military stated that there have been multiple recent attempts to smuggle weapons into Gaza using drones.
“The IDF struck the drone in southern Gaza, along with two additional suspects who were collecting it,” the military said in a statement, without disclosing their condition.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that a 44-year-old man was killed in an Israeli strike near Rafah, though further details were not provided.
The ceasefire, which has been in place for over a month, remains tenuous. Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said Tuesday that Israeli fire has killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800 since the truce took effect. Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms, citing ongoing attacks on Palestinians.
The Israeli military maintains that it has targeted individuals approaching its forces or entering restricted areas in violation of the truce.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he does not believe Hamas will meet a Saturday deadline to release all remaining hostages, putting the ceasefire agreement at risk.
Egypt announced plans to propose a “comprehensive vision” for the reconstruction of Gaza to ensure Palestinians remain in their homeland, according to a statement from the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that the ceasefire would end if Hamas fails to return hostages by noon on Saturday. “The military will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened to launch attacks on Israel if it resumes military operations in Gaza and fails to uphold the ceasefire. “We are prepared to respond to any escalation,” Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised address Tuesday.
