2 Palestinians killed in Israeli shelling in Gaza despite ceasefire

GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL

Two more Palestinians were killed in Israeli army shelling in the Gaza Strip on Monday, in a new violation of a fragile ceasefire agreement in the enclave, medics said.

A medical source told Anadolu that a Palestinian man was shot and killed in the Shujaiya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, and his body was taken to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.

Witnesses said the man was killed after crossing into an area controlled by Israeli forces under the ceasefire agreement.

The circumstances of why he entered the area were not immediately clear. However, Palestinian residents in Gaza have often risked their lives to reach homes located in restricted zones to retrieve clothing and heavy blankets to protect their children from the cold as winter sets in.

Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli army fire in the same neighborhood.

According to witnesses, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the Palestinian man as he was heading to check his house in the army-controlled area under the ceasefire agreement.

Local sources earlier said that military vehicles stationed in the yellow zone opened fire toward residential neighborhoods in the eastern areas of Gaza City.

Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers also moved into the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, from which forces withdrew under the ceasefire deal.

Israeli quadcopter drones opened heavy fire while army forces bulldozed some buildings before withdrawing from the camp, the sources said.

Israeli warplanes also launched airstrikes on several areas in Rafah, in the south, simultaneously with artillery shelling and gunfire from military vehicles in the northern parts of the city. No information was yet available about casualties.

The Israeli army has repeatedly violated the ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10.

At least 405 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,100 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to Palestinian figures.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 71,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.