An Israeli attack in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday resulted in the death of at least one Palestinian and the injury of two others—a woman and her child—according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa and medical sources. This latest casualty brings the death toll in the enclave since the October 10 ceasefire to 280.
The fatal strike occurred in the Qizan an-Najjar area, south of Khan Younis. A source at the city’s Nasser Hospital confirmed the fatality to Al Jazeera. Earlier in the day, a woman and her child sustained serious injuries in a separate drone attack targeting the southern town of Bani Suheila, which lies east of Khan Younis.
These new casualties contribute to a grim tally of 279 previous killings and over 650 injuries recorded since the US-brokered ceasefire was implemented. Gaza’s Government Media Office attributes these figures to nearly 400 alleged Israeli violations of the truce agreement.
The Media Office issued a public plea, urging US President Donald Trump, the mediating nations, the agreement’s guarantors, and the UN Security Council (UNSC) to take immediate and effective action. They called for steps to halt the attacks, restrain Israel, and compel strict adherence to the ceasefire terms and humanitarian protocol, thereby ensuring civilian protection and an end to escalating violations.
The reported violence follows Monday’s approval by the UNSC of a US-drafted resolution. This resolution, part of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, mandates a transitional administration and an international stabilisation force for Gaza, outlining a “credible pathway” toward Palestinian statehood. The measure passed with a 13-0 vote, with Russia and China abstaining.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Washington, DC, President Trump addressed the progress. “A lot of progress has been made with respect to Gaza and just about everything else we touch,” Trump stated, adding that the UNSC had “formally adopted my peace plan and officially endorsed the board of peace.”
The proposed “board of peace” is envisioned as a large body comprising “the heads of every major country,” according to the US President. The UNSC resolution tasks this board with serving as an interim administration responsible for security, public services, and reconstruction in Gaza until the end of 2027. While the structure is defined, the mechanism for its practical implementation remains unclear.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud highlighted a disconnect between the political diplomacy and the stark realities facing Palestinians on the ground. Mahmoud noted that residents are primarily focused on immediate, daily challenges rather than the “board of peace,” which they perceive as a “political concept.”
Mahmoud explained that people are worried about securing clean drinking water in displacement areas and protecting their families from the approaching winter, which brings the threat of heavy rainfall and cold. “Palestinians want to know what’s going to happen next,” Mahmoud said, emphasising the paramount concern about whether they will be permitted to return to their homes.
This question is particularly complex for those whose residences are located in the eastern part of the besieged territory. This area has been officially designated as a “yellow area” under Israeli control as part of the ceasefire terms, with homes and residential clusters largely destroyed. The “yellow line” acts as an invisible boundary dividing Gaza into Israeli-occupied and Hamas-controlled zones.
Mahmoud reported that Israel has been routinely firing upon and killing Palestinians who attempt to venture into the areas it controls to check on the ruins of their homes. “Political diplomacy is not changing the course of things on the ground for them so far,” he concluded. “People need a clear roadmap into ending all forms of violence, opening the crossings and making them more operational… they want proper and efficient access to food and water supplies.”
A core provision of the ceasefire was a significant increase in aid deliveries, with a goal of at least 600 trucks entering Gaza daily to meet the urgent needs of the population. However, aid numbers have fallen substantially short of this target, prompting the United Nations to issue warnings that the hunger crisis in Gaza remains “catastrophic.”
President Trump also touched on the return of captives to Israel as part of his 20-point plan. While praising the efforts, he misstated that Hamas still held two bodies, when the actual figure for deceased captives yet to be returned is three.
At the start of the truce, Hamas held 20 living captives and 28 bodies of the deceased. In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of deceased Palestinians. Trump claimed that those living in Gaza “have begun to move back to their homes” and have “a lot more safety than they’ve ever had before.”
However, this assertion was contradicted by Philippe Lazzarini, the Chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic. Lazzarini stated that the residents of the Gaza Strip are suffering from disease and displacement, and that “insufficient resources are entering the Strip.” He noted that the aid entering Gaza is inadequate, and food remains unavailable due to high prices.
“Winter is coming, and this will add further hardship to the residents of the Strip due to the rain and cold,” Lazzarini warned. “The crossings must be opened to deliver the aid that the residents of the Gaza Strip need.”
