Gaza health officials said on Monday that an Israeli drone strike killed three civilians, including a child, the latest violence to hit the Palestinian territory despite a ceasefire. Israel and Hamas trade near-daily accusations of truce violations and the Gaza Strip remains gripped by bloodshed as progress stalls on permanently ending their war. "Three people were killed and several injured when an Israeli drone struck a group of civilians," Al-Aqsa hospital said in a statement. Gaza's civil defense agency, which acts as a rescue force under Hamas, said the strike hit an area in Deir el-Balah, one of the least damaged towns in central Gaza. The hospital said the fatalities were two men and an 8-year-old while a third man was wounded. Israel's military identified the target as Zaher Abu Salem, who it said was a member of Islamic Jihad and was involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war. At least 1,041 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10 last year, according to the territory's health ministry. The Israeli army has reported six deaths in its ranks during the same period.
