Israeli Strikes Claim Four Lives in Gaza as Clashes Intensify
Latest Developments in Gaza Conflict
Fatal Strikes and Immediate Aftermath
CAIRO, May 17 (Reuters) - Israeli strikes killed at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, health officials said.
Medics said an Israeli strike killed one Palestinian near a police post in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it killed a militant who posed an immediate threat to forces operating in an area south of the enclave.
Airstrike Near Al-Aqsa Hospital
Separately, Gaza medics said another Israeli airstrike killed at least three people at a community kitchen near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza area.
The Israeli military didn't immediately comment on the incident.
Political Stalemate and Ongoing Hostilities
Stalled Negotiations
Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked in indirect talks to advance U.S. President Donald Trump's post-war plan for Gaza that is meant to end more than two years of fighting.
Shift in Israeli Military Focus
Israel has stepped up attacks in Gaza in the weeks since halting its joint bombing with the U.S. in Iran, redirecting its fire back on the devastated Palestinian territory, where the military says Hamas fighters are tightening their grip.
Targeted Killing of Hamas Leader
On Saturday, the Israeli military said that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas's armed wing in the Gaza Strip, was killed in what it described as a precise strike on Gaza City on Friday.
Hamas confirmed Haddad's death but stopped short of threatening revenge.
Casualty Figures and Continuing Violence
Israel has repeatedly carried out strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire started.
Some 870 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the October ceasefire, according to figures that do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Four Israeli soldiers were killed by militants during the same period.
Hamas Casualty Reporting
Hamas does not disclose figures for casualties among its fighters.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Kirsten Donovan )
