Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed nine people, including journalists, according to Gaza’s civil defense service. As a result, tensions have risen, and the fragile ceasefire is now at risk.

Hamas Accuses Israel of Breaking Ceasefire

Following the attack, Hamas condemned Israel’s actions, calling them a “blatant violation” of the truce. The ceasefire, which began on January 19, had paused over 15 months of conflict. However, since the first phase ended on March 1 without an agreement on the next steps, uncertainty has remained. Meanwhile, Hamas confirmed that new ceasefire talks had started in Doha. At the same time, Israeli representatives also joined the negotiations. Consequently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his team to “prepare for the continuation” of indirect discussions.

Israeli Drone and Artillery Strike Beit Lahia

According to Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense, “Nine martyrs have been transferred (to hospital), including several journalists and a number of workers from the Al-Khair Charitable Organisation.” The attack occurred in Beit Lahia, where Israeli forces targeted a vehicle with a drone while simultaneously shelling the area. As a result, Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that victims and several critically injured individuals were taken to the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza. On the other hand, Israel’s military defended its actions, claiming that it hit “two terrorists… operating a drone that posed a threat to IDF troops in the area of Beit Lahia.” Later, when additional individuals retrieved the drone equipment and entered a vehicle, the IDF launched another strike.

Hamas Calls Attack a ‘Dangerous Escalation’

In response, Hamas accused Israel of deliberately killing journalists and humanitarian workers. “The occupation has committed a horrific massacre in the northern Gaza Strip,” said Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem. Furthermore, a separate Hamas statement warned that Israel was trying to “backtrack on the ceasefire agreement” and obstruct ongoing negotiations, including a possible prisoner exchange. During the truce’s first phase, Hamas released 33 hostages—eight of them deceased—in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. More recently, on Saturday, Hamas claimed it had offered to release an Israeli-American hostage and return the bodies of four others. Therefore, Hamas stated, “The ball is in Israel’s court.”

Journalists Among the Dead

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate confirmed that an editor and three photojournalists were among those killed. Notably, one of them specialized in drone photography. Additionally, Tahseen al-Astal, the syndicate’s deputy head in Gaza, revealed that the victims had been inside an Al-Khair charity vehicle. At the time, they were preparing reports on humanitarian work during Ramadan. Two Al-Khair members also died, including a spokesperson. As a result, the syndicate condemned the killings, calling them part of “the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists.” Moreover, they described the attack as “a war crime and a blatant violation of international laws, especially the Geneva Convention.”

War Continues as Hostage Crisis Drags On

Since early March, Israel has carried out near-daily airstrikes in Gaza. According to the military, these strikes target militants planting explosives. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders reported that since October 7, Israeli forces have killed more than 140 journalists in Gaza. That same day, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,218 people. In retaliation, Israel’s military response has killed over 48,543 people, according to figures from both sides. Currently, 58 hostages remain in Gaza, and the Israeli military has declared 34 of them dead.

Israel and U.S. Criticize Hamas Over Truce Talks

At the same time, Israel accused Hamas of refusing to compromise in ceasefire talks, calling their tactics “psychological warfare.” Similarly, the U.S., Israel’s key ally, criticized Hamas. Washington stated that Hamas was “making a very bad bet that time is on its side.” Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, hundreds of protesters gathered once again. They demanded the release of hostages still held in Gaza.