Israel strikes kill five people in Gaza

Israeli airstrike kills five in Gaza, including father and son; Hamas warns of ceasefire collapse.

CAIRO:

An Israeli air strike killed three Palestinian men in Gaza on Monday as they tried to gather firewood, medics said, with no sign of progress in renewed talks on sustaining a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

In the latest bloodshed to underline the fragility of the Gaza war's three-stage truce, the three, all from the same family, had left their homes in central Gaza to collect the wood for cooking. That has become a daily task for many Gazans as Israel has continued to ban fuel, food, and medical goods from entering Gaza for over two weeks, residents said.

The Israeli military said in a statement it struck "terrorists" operating near their forces and attempting to plant a bomb.

Later on Monday, medics said an Israeli air strike killed a father and his son inside a school sheltering displaced families in Bureij camp, near the site of the earlier strikes, raising the day's death toll to five. The Israeli military said the strike hit two people who were attempting to plant a bomb in the ground near where forces operated in Bureij.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said Israel's "violations" could "undermine all efforts for de-escalation". He put the number of Palestinians killed since the January ceasefire at 150. Israel's military says it has repeatedly thwarted attempts by Palestinians to plant bombs or otherwise threaten their forces.

Israel's suspension of goods entering Gaza for 16 days has increased pressure on Gaza's 2.3 million people, most of whom have been made homeless by the war. The suspension, which Israel said was aimed at pressuring Hamas in ceasefire talks, applies to food, medicine, and fuel imports.

Bakeries closed

Several bakeries have recently closed and food prices are rising, while the electricity cut could deprive people of clean water. Israel wants to extend the first phase of the ceasefire mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, a proposal backed by US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Hamas says it will resume freeing hostages only under the second phase that was due to begin on March 2. Israel and Hamas have been holding successive talks with Egyptian mediators in Cairo.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said on Monday that while his group was complying with the terms of the truce, Israel "seeks to foil the agreement and impose new conditions".