An Israeli airstrike resulted in the deaths of at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Monday, according to health officials. Concurrently, mediators engaged with Hamas leaders to reinforce a ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S.
Medical personnel reported that the strike targeted a group of men outside a school in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in three fatalities. Another strike at a cafe in Gaza City claimed one life and injured another individual. The Israeli military did not provide any comments on either incident.
At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, the deceased laid covered in white shrouds outside the morgue, where grieving relatives and friends paid their respects. Some individuals kissed the foreheads of the victims before offering special prayers.
Expressing her dismay, Umm Hussam Abu El-Rous, a female relative of one of the victims, lamented the ongoing violence, stating, “This isn’t a truce; it’s a trap for our young men. Every day there are martyrs, every single day. How long can this continue?” She further highlighted the heart-wrenching reality faced by children, with one three-year-old expressing fear upon seeing his deceased father and expecting him to return from a shop visit.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on Oct. 9, 2025, has not brought a halt to Israeli attacks in Gaza. The deal aimed to end two years of intense conflict in the region, with Israeli forces maintaining control over a designated area delineated by yellow blocks, encompassing a significant portion of Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to govern a narrow coastal strip, while Israeli airstrikes persist.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 750 Palestinians have lost their lives since the ceasefire’s enforcement, while Israeli authorities report the deaths of four Israeli soldiers at the hands of militants. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.
Allegations have surfaced from Palestinians suggesting that Israeli forces are shifting the yellow concrete markers westward, a claim that Israel denies.
As discussions progress in Cairo between Hamas leaders and Palestinian factions with mediators from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, the focus remains on implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. A proposal outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace entails a gradual disarmament process by Hamas over eight months following the assumption of control by a U.S.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats in Gaza.
However, the issue of Hamas’s disarmament poses a significant hurdle to advancing Trump’s ceasefire plan for Gaza, further complicated by the ongoing conflict in Iran. Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Hamas has insisted on the full implementation of the initial phase of Trump’s deal by Israel before engaging in talks regarding disarmament.
Israeli military officials have voiced readiness for a swift return to full-scale conflict if Hamas does not comply with the disarmament requirements. The Gaza conflict, which commenced on Oct. 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel resulting in 1,200 casualties, led to an Israeli campaign that claimed over 72,000 Palestinian lives, leaving the region severely devastated.