Two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip, including a senior police official. These are the first reported deaths in the enclave in more than a week, amid a reduction in targeted attacks by the Israeli army under US pressure, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Palestinian health officials said that the first strike hit two people on a motorcycle in the western part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. One of them died on the spot and the other was wounded, they added.
For its part, the Israeli army said that the airstrike in Khan Yunis killed a commander from the Palestinian armed group “Hamas“ who was planning an attack on Israeli soldiers.
Later today, an Israeli drone fired three missiles at a car driving in the western part of Gaza City, killing the city's police chief. Two people were seriously injured, medical officials and witnesses said.
The “Hamas“ Interior Ministry also confirmed in a statement that Israel carried out the “assassination“ of Colonel Jamal Abu Kamil.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the case.
Since the ceasefire agreement began in October, Israel has stepped up attacks on members of the Hamas-led police force, killing dozens, security and health officials said.
Last month, US President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in his plan to end the war. Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas have agreed to it, under which Israeli forces are to withdraw and Hamas is to disarm. It also provides for an International Stabilization Force, which, together with a new Palestinian police force, would ensure security in the Strip.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a televised address that he rejects Trump's latest plan for Gaza. This came despite the Israeli military effectively halting attacks on the Palestinian enclave under pressure from the US president.
„Hamas“ said it accepted the plan to avoid a renewed war. The group added, however, that the implementation of the agreement depends on Israel first fulfilling its commitments, including withdrawing and ceasing attacks.
Israel carried out its first airstrike on the Gaza Strip in more than a week on Sunday, the Israeli army and the Palestinian Civil Defense said, which reported one death, AFP reported.
"We carried out the strike to neutralize a threat," an Israeli army spokesman said, without giving further details.
Another army statement said the strike targeted a Hamas commander in the northern Gaza Strip who was "preparing terrorist attacks against" Israeli forces operating in the area.
"The army will continue to act to eliminate any imminent threat," the statement added. Israeli forces have been deployed in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023, triggered by an unprecedented attack by "Hamas" against Israel.
The Civil Defense Service of the Islamist movement "Hamas" Gaza Strip reported one death and several injuries in the strike.
Israel appears to have reduced, if not completely stopped, its military operations in the Gaza Strip after Donald Trump announced late last month an agreement on the latest US road map, which envisages, among other things, the disarmament of "Hamas" and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory.
"Hamas" accepted the plan, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it, linking any withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza to "real" disarmament of the movement.
According to data from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which the UN considers reliable, Israeli operations in the enclave have killed 1,258 people since the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025.
Over the same period, the Israeli army reported the deaths of five soldiers and one civilian contractor.