Israeli airstrikes killed at least three Palestinians, including a four-year-old child, in Gaza on Sunday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to intensify military operations. The escalation follows reported launches of kites and balloons from the enclave, despite an ongoing, U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has failed to halt daily violence.
Fatalities in Az-Zawayda and Nuseirat
The latest violence centered on the town of Az-Zawayda and the nearby Nuseirat refugee camp. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces utilized two missiles to strike a warehouse in Az-Zawayda, resulting in the death of four-year-old Muhammad Abdel Salam Taha. Medical sources at the Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed that the strike on the warehouse left at least seven others wounded, while Reuters reported that flying debris and shrapnel contributed to the casualty count in the immediate vicinity.
There is no ceasefire; there is nothing,
said Abu Ahmed, a displaced Palestinian who was sheltering near the targeted building. We want solutions; we want to live in peace.
Netanyahu’s Warning Over Kites and Drones
The Israeli military justified the intensified strikes as a response to the launch of kites, drones and balloons
from Gaza toward Israeli territory. Following a security assessment on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement threatening to increase assassination operations
and evacuate Palestinian residential areas if the launches do not cease immediately.
Despite the official threats, reports indicate a discrepancy regarding the threat level posed by these items. According to Anadolu Agency, the Israeli military acknowledged after examining recovered kites that they carried no suspicious materials and posed no danger to the public. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem dismissed the Israeli rhetoric as fabricated pretexts
intended to justify ongoing aggression and violations of the existing ceasefire framework.
Ceasefire Strains and Regional Escalation
The violence occurs against the backdrop of a U.S.-backed ceasefire that has been in place since October 2025. While the agreement halted major, large-scale combat, it has been marked by frequent, smaller-scale Israeli strikes. Data from the Palestinian Health Ministry indicates that since the ceasefire began, 1,286 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. The broader conflict, which began in October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to the same sources.
On Saturday, the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior Hamas militant, Sharif Al-Hasnat, in Deir Al-Balah. The military accused Al-Hasnat of overseeing efforts to rebuild underground infrastructure.
Hamas maintains that Israel is actively undermining diplomatic efforts to implement a comprehensive peace plan supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, which includes provisions for Israeli troop withdrawals and the disarmament of militant groups.
Violence in the West Bank
Tensions remain similarly elevated in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. USA Today reported that an Israeli man was wounded in a stabbing attack near Jericho, prompting a search for a Palestinian suspect. Separately, health officials in the West Bank confirmed that 14-year-old Islam Ajjouri was shot and killed by Israeli forces during a raid on the Askar refugee camp near Nablus. The Israeli military stated it is currently investigating the circumstances of the teenager’s death.
Stakes for Ongoing Diplomacy
The divergence between the stated goals of the U.S.-backed ceasefire and the realities on the ground continues to fuel skepticism among the Palestinian population. As the Israeli government signals a potential expansion of evacuation orders and targeted assassinations, observers are watching to see if international mediators can exert enough pressure to stabilize the situation. The immediate future remains uncertain, with both the military’s intent to strike against underground infrastructure
and the persistent, if low-level, activity from Gaza threatening to unravel the fragile arrangements currently in place.
