The Israeli military confirmed on Saturday that it had opened fire on a vehicle in northern Gaza the previous day. They stated the vehicle had crossed a designated boundary line, which their forces have maintained since the recent cease-fire took effect.
Tragically, Gaza’s Civil Defense emergency service, affiliated with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, reported that at least nine individuals, including four children, lost their lives in the strike.
Mohammad Abu Shaban, a resident of Gaza City, shared a heartbreaking account. His sister, her husband, and three of their children were among those killed while traveling in the vehicle. He personally identified their bodies at a city hospital on Saturday morning before their funeral.
In their official statement, the Israeli military explained that warning shots were initially fired at what they deemed a “suspicious vehicle” before engaging with live fire “to remove the threat.” They have not yet commented on the reported civilian fatalities.
The cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas mandated a withdrawal of Israeli forces to a specific “Yellow Line” within Gaza. Currently, the Israeli military still maintains control over approximately 53 percent of the enclave’s territory, with troops stationed across large areas.
Gaza rescue teams finally reached the scene on Saturday, having received approval from Israeli authorities through the United Nations. A spokesperson for the Civil Defense and Mr. Abu Shaban confirmed that two other passengers remain unaccounted for.
Mr. Abu Shaban recounted that the car was carrying a dozen members of his extended family, who had ventured out from their crowded tent camp for a picnic.
The family now believes the driver inadvertently became disoriented, straying into a hazardous zone. “It seems the driver got mixed up in the roads and crossed the line. There aren’t any warning signs,” Mr. Abu Shaban expressed.
While the Israeli military frequently issues warnings about restricted areas in Gaza where its forces are deployed, many Gazans often find themselves uncertain if they’ve entered such zones. This confusion arises from factors like lack of internet access, complex or unclear maps, or simply being lost within the devastated enclave.
On Friday, Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, announced his order for the physical demarcation of these withdrawal lines on the ground. His office stated these markings would serve as a clear “warning to Hamas terrorists and Gaza residents that any violation and attempt to cross the line will be met with fire.”
Despite the United States’ role in brokering the cease-fire agreement, it has not yet brought a definitive end to the conflict. Although large-scale fighting in Gaza has mostly subsided, Israeli troops have continued to launch occasional attacks against what they identify as immediate threats.
For instance, on Friday, the Israeli military reported that soldiers in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis engaged several militants seen emerging from a tunnel. On the same day, a group of armed individuals reportedly opened fire on Israeli soldiers in Rafah, another city, though no casualties were sustained.
These ongoing tensions highlight the extreme fragility of the truce within the Palestinian enclave. As part of the cease-fire terms, Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and returned the bodies of 10 others. In return, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and transferred the bodies of over 100 Palestinians to Gaza.
On Saturday, the Israeli government announced that Hamas had handed over the body of Eliyahu Margalit during the night. Mr. Margalit, 75, was killed during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, Palestinian militants had taken his body back to Gaza.
Israeli officials have voiced criticism of Hamas for failing to return the remaining 18 bodies still held in Gaza. However, Hamas stated on Wednesday that it had delivered all remains in its possession, adding that locating the others would require considerable time and effort due to the widespread destruction in Gaza.