Fresh violence raises tensions despite US-brokered October 2025 truce
Renewed violence in Gaza has left at least five people dead, underscoring the fragility of a ceasefire that was meant to ease a war already marked by staggering casualties.
Deadly Strikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis
Gaza health officials said Israeli attacks on Feb 26 killed five people across the enclave. Two Palestinians were killed and several others were wounded in an airstrike targeting a group in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.
Later in the day, three people were killed and several injured, some critically, in a drone strike on a police checkpoint in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to medics. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on that specific incident.
Israeli Military Response
Separately, the Israeli military confirmed that its forces killed a militant in southern Gaza who it said posed an imminent threat after crossing into an area still occupied by Israel within the enclave.
Israel described the incident as a violation of the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 between Israel and Hamas. Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaching the truce.
Ceasefire Under Pressure
Since the ceasefire began, Gaza’s health ministry has reported that at least 600 people have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel, for its part, has said four of its soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza during the same period.
The agreement entered a second phase in January, under which Israel is expected to further withdraw troops while Hamas is to relinquish administrative control of the territory. Implementation has faced delays and disputes.
War’s Heavy Toll
The conflict was triggered by Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which Israeli authorities say killed 1,200 people. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 72,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Israeli fire.
Large swathes of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, and humanitarian conditions remain dire as aid access, reconstruction and governance arrangements remain unresolved.
Regional and Global Implications
The continued flare-ups highlight the volatility of the situation despite diplomatic efforts. Each reported violation risks undermining already fragile trust between the parties and complicating broader regional stability.
With both Israel and Hamas trading blame, international mediators face mounting pressure to reinforce the truce and prevent a return to full-scale hostilities.
The latest fatalities in Gaza demonstrate how tenuous the October 2025 ceasefire remains. As both sides accuse each other of violations, the human toll continues to rise. The coming weeks will test whether diplomatic channels can stabilize the situation or whether the region risks sliding back into sustained conflict.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Reuters (2026)
Keywords: Gaza Airstrikes Feb 26, Israel Hamas Truce, Khan Younis Attack, Tuffah Neighborhood Strike, Gaza War Casualties
