At least four Palestinians have been wounded in an Israeli strike on a vehicle on the coastal road west of the Nuseirat camp in the central part of the Gaza Strip, medics say.
Medics first announced that a young boy had been killed in the strike but later said they had managed to resuscitate him.
The Israeli military said an Israeli aircraft fired on what the army described as a suspicious vehicle moving towards the enclave’s north outside the inspection route laid down by the ceasefire agreement.
“The IDF (Israeli military) is prepared for any scenario and will continue to take any necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat to IDF soldiers,” it said, giving no details on the effect of the strike or on any casualties.
Several Palestinians have been reported killed by Israeli fire since a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19.
Israel said its forces have opened fire in incidents where “suspicious” figures, sometimes armed, posed a risk to Israeli forces deployed at some areas of the Gaza Strip as stipulated by the phased deal.
Hamas has described these incidents as violations of the truce.
During the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 children, women and older male hostages as well as sick and injured were due to be released.
Of these, 18 have been freed so far.
More than 60 male hostages of military age will remain captive until a second phase is negotiated.
Qatar’s prime minister on Sunday called on Israel and Hamas to immediately begin negotiating phase two of the ceasefire, adding that there is no clear plan for when talks will begin.
“We demand (Hamas and Israel) to engage immediately as stipulated in the agreement,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at a press conference held jointly with Turkey’s foreign minister in the Qatari capital Doha on Sunday.
I’m leaving for a very important meeting with @realDonaldTrump in Washington.The fact that this would be President Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since his inauguration is telling. I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance. It’s… pic.twitter.com/wWYrC7mYrF— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 2, 2025
According to the ceasefire agreement, negotiations on implementing the second phase of the deal should begin before the 16th day of phase one of the ceasefire, which is Monday.
The second stage of the accord is expected to include Hamas releasing all remaining hostages held in the Gaza Strip, a permanent end to hostilities and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave.
“There is nothing yet clear about where the delegations will come and when it’s going to take place,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Mediators have engaged with Hamas and Israel over the phone and Qatar has set an agenda for the next phase of negotiations, he said.
“We hope that we start to see some movement in the next few days. It’s critical that we get things rolling from now in order to get to an agreement before day 42.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he would begin negotiations on phase two of the agreement on Monday in Washington DC, when he is set to meet US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
During his meeting with Witkoff, Netanyahu will discuss Israel’s positions in respect to the ceasefire, the prime minister’s office said.
Witkoff will then speak with officials from Egypt and Qatar, who have mediated between Israel and Hamas over the past 15 months with backing from the United States.
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