At least 10 Palestinians were killed in central Gaza on Monday during an outbreak of violence involving Israeli air strikes and ground clashes between Hamas and a local, Israel-backed militia. According to the BBC, the fighting began when the militia established a checkpoint east of the Maghazi refugee camp, triggering an armed response from Hamas security personnel.
Witnesses reported that Israeli drones intervened to assist the militia, conducting strikes on Hamas positions in three separate locations. A spokesperson for al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah confirmed that 10 bodies were transported to the facility, with dozens of others wounded, some critically. Neither the Israeli military nor Hamas provided immediate comment on the incident.
This deadly encounter occurs as tensions over the future of Gaza’s governance remain high. Disarmament has emerged as a primary obstacle in the second phase of the US-led 20-point peace plan. Last week, Hamas delegates met with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo to discuss a proposal for decommissioning their arsenal.
On Sunday, Hamas military spokesperson Abu Ubaida rejected the proposal, stating, “We will not accept raising the issue of weapons in this crude manner.” He further declared, “What the enemy failed to take from us by tanks and destruction, it will not take from us through politics or at the negotiating table.” Abu Ubaida previously indicated that Hamas’s current operations are an extension of the conflict involving Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
A regional ripple effect
The ongoing volatility has exacerbated a regional energy crisis, leaving cities like Cairo grappling with power shortages. According to Al Jazeera, Cairo has mandated that streets and storefronts remain dark at night to conserve electricity. This measure is a direct response to global energy supply disruptions linked to the broader conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
For residents trapped in the Gaza Strip, the violence continues to extract a personal toll. Al Jazeera reported on the experiences of Azza Odwan, a grandmother who shared her account of living under constant bombardment. Odwan described the devastating loss of her family, including her grandson, whom she had accompanied to Egypt in hopes of securing urgent medical treatment.
Official data from the Hamas-run health ministry indicates that at least 723 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since a ceasefire was agreed upon six months ago. Conversely, the Israeli military reports that five of its soldiers have died in attacks by Palestinian groups during the same period. The exact sequence of Monday’s events in Maghazi remains unclear, as both Israel and Hamas continue to trade accusations of violating the six-month-old truce.
