Truce tested as Israel kills three Palestinians in Gaza
In another test of the fragile ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army attacked the Gaza Strip for a fourth day, killing three people.
Residents reported hearing Israeli shelling and gunfire in northern Gaza on Friday, although Israel said it was adhering to a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
One Palestinian died from injuries sustained from earlier Israeli shelling, the Palestinian WAFA news agency reported.
The US-brokered ceasefire, which has left unresolved thorny issues such as the disarmament of Hamas and the timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, has been tested by periodic outbreaks of violence since it took effect three weeks ago.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel retaliated for the death of an Israeli soldier with bombardments that Gaza health officials said killed 104 people.
Gaza’s health ministry said the Red Cross had handed over the bodies of 30 Palestinians killed by Israel during the war, a day after Hamas handed over two bodies of hostages.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas agreed to withdraw all living hostages held in Gaza in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and prisoners of war, while agreeing to withdraw Israeli troops, halt its attacks, and increase aid.
Hamas also agreed to hand over the remains of 28 dead hostages in exchange for 360 Palestinian militants killed in the war. While 17 bodies were returned after their release on Thursday, the bodies of 225 Palestinians have been returned to Gaza so far.
Hamas said it would take time to find and retrieve the bodies of all remaining hostages. Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by delaying the handover.
Two years of conflict in Gaza has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians and left the area in ruins, according to Gaza health officials. Israel launched the war after Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and bringing 251 hostages back to Gaza.
The ceasefire in Gaza has eased the trauma of Israeli airstrikes and blockade, but cash shortages have left Palestinians unable to spend what little money they have without falling victim to wartime profiteers.
Houses, schools and other institutions in Gaza, as well as banks, many of which were damaged or destroyed during the two-year war, began to reopen on October 16, six days after the ceasefire was declared. Queues formed in a short time, but citizens were disappointed.
People need cash for most daily transactions in Gaza, whether buying food at the market or paying utility bills, but Israel has blocked transfers of bank notes, as well as many other goods.
Some people resort to wire transfers through bank apps, even for small items like eggs or candy, but merchants impose additional fees.
The fact that the issue of providing cash to Gaza was not included in Trump’s 20-item peace plan allowed the development and security details to be decided.
COGAT, the arm of the Israeli military that oversees the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether or when the banknotes might be allowed back in.
The shortage of banknotes and coins has further compounded the crisis for Gazans, who lost relatives, jobs and homes, depleted their savings and sold their belongings to buy food, tents and medicine. Some resorted to barter to make a living.
