Israel’s military said on Tuesday that its troops opened fire in the northern Gaza Strip after spotting what it called a “threat” from a group of suspects approaching its forces. According to Gaza’s health authorities, at least six Palestinians were killed in the incident.
The Israeli army claimed the individuals had crossed a boundary line that was established as part of an initial withdrawal under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement – a move Israel said violated the terms of the deal.
Local health officials in Gaza reported that the six deaths occurred in two separate shootings across the enclave on the same day.
The violence broke out just a day after a significant moment in the fragile truce. On Monday, Hamas released the last remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza, while Israel freed several Palestinian detainees as part of the same agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the exchange as a milestone marking the end of a two-year war that has devastated Gaza and sent shockwaves through the wider Middle East.
While the ceasefire had raised hopes for calm, Tuesday’s deadly clash has reignited fears that tensions could once again spiral out of control – testing whether both sides are truly ready to move from war toward peace.