The Israeli army said on Tuesday that it had “opened fire to eliminate a threat posed by several suspicious individuals approaching its units in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.” This was reported by the news portal Independent.
The Times of Israel confirmed that five Palestinian men were killed in the operation.
The suspects crossed the “yellow line,” which was established as the boundary for the initial withdrawal of Israeli forces as part of the brokered ceasefire. Despite calls to retreat, they remained in place and continued to approach Israeli troops, leading to the use of firearms.
The military described the incident as a violation of the ceasefire terms that have been in effect since October 10. The relevant authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances and developments in the region.
As part of the ceasefire, Israeli troops have begun to withdraw from certain parts of the Gaza Strip, but continue to control about half of the territory. The United States and NATO brokered an agreement that includes a prisoner exchange in addition to the troop withdrawal.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces continued to monitor the situation and secure the borders, urging civilians to stay away from dangerous areas.
(reuters, sie)