Israeli strikes killed at least eight Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on Friday, adding to mounting signs that a US-brokered ceasefire is struggling to hold.
Five people were killed in Gaza in three separate Israeli strikes, while three Palestinians, including a Hamas operative, were killed in an Israeli airstrike near Jenin in the West Bank, according to Palestinian officials and the Israeli military.
The violence comes as negotiators continue efforts to move from the ceasefire agreement towards the next phase of a US-backed plan for Gaza, including the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
In Gaza, the latest strikes bring the number of Palestinians reported killed since the ceasefire began to more than 1,300, according to Palestinian health officials cited by The Associated Press.
The Israeli military has said its forces continue to target Hamas fighters and other threats despite the ceasefire.
Strike in West Bank
The West Bank strike was carried out near Jenin, where Israel said it targeted Qais Bitawi, whom it identified as a Hamas operative responsible for organising attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad confirmed Bitawi’s affiliation. The strike hit a vehicle, after which Israeli forces moved into the area.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said Israeli forces detained medical workers and prevented them from immediately reaching the wounded.
The attack adds to escalating violence across the occupied West Bank, where Israeli military operations and settler attacks have intensified in recent weeks.
Ceasefire under pressure
The latest bloodshed comes as the ceasefire faces disputes over the conditions for its next stage.
Nikolay Mladenov, the US official overseeing President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire initiative, has warned that continued Israeli military action risks undermining the agreement.
Mladenov told the UN Security Council that the process had moved from negotiation into implementation but remained vulnerable to setbacks. The proposed next stage includes Hamas disarming, the establishment of civilian administration in Gaza and the eventual withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli troops will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Hamas has accepted the US-backed framework, but disagreements over disarmament and the extent and timing of an Israeli withdrawal remain major obstacles.
Wider regional tensions
The Gaza and West Bank violence is unfolding against the backdrop of the broader conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, which has continued to reshape security and diplomacy across the Middle East.
The war has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and left thousands of sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf, while Washington has expanded sanctions aimed at putting economic pressure on Tehran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for renewed negotiations with Washington while facing pressure from hard-liners inside Iran.
The US has also imposed new sanctions on Egyptian financial institutions over alleged dealings involving Iran, while Washington has begun restoring diplomatic staffing at some embassies in the region as the security situation shows limited signs of easing.
In Lebanon, meanwhile, international pressure is growing for an extension of the UN peacekeeping mission as tensions persist despite a separate ceasefire.
The developments underline how the Gaza ceasefire remains tied to a much wider regional confrontation, with violence continuing even as diplomatic efforts seek to prevent the conflicts from escalating further.
