In brief
Israeli forces targeted a home in the Bureij refugee camp, killing Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah and two other civilians, amid accusations that he was a Hamas sniper. Officials report that a total of six people died during the latest assault, including at least one child. The incident inflames tensions as both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the October ceasefire, which aims to end hostilities while enabling humanitarian aid into Gaza. Meanwhile, UN agencies note that the ceasefire has reduced hunger but still leaves 70% of the population without adequate shelter, as infrastructure deteriorates. Analysts warn that ongoing disputes over Hamas’ disarmament risk reigniting full‑scale conflict.
A springtime attack by Israeli forces on the Bureij refugee camp in Gaza killed at least six civilians, including Al Jazeera reporter Ahmed Wishah and a child, health officials and rescuers confirmed.
Al Jazeera condemned the killing as a “heinous crime of targeting and killing” a journalist and said Wishah’s death “constitutes a new and flagrant violation of all international laws and norms”.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) described Wishah as “a terrorist in Hamas’ military wing who served as a sniper operative”, but offered no evidence and said he had advanced sniper attack plans against Israeli troops.
Hospital and Hamas-run civil defence reports say two other Palestinians were also killed in the strike, and the IDF accuses all three of being Hamas operatives. The brothers, former report a family that “have no connection to Hamas”, insisted they were civilians.
In Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood, an overnight strike destroyed a home, killing four family members, including two children and a woman, according to a local hospital and civil defense statements.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaching the October ceasefire, which promised a “flood of humanitarian aid” and required Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza’s governance to a neutral body.
The United Nations reports that 81% of Gaza’s buildings were damaged in the fighting; while aid organisations say more assistance is needed, the UN’s humanitarian agency head noted that food shortages dropped from 92% to 36% since the ceasefire began.
Nonetheless, 70% of Gaza’s population still needs proper shelter as sanitation conditions worsen and essential services are “on the brink”, the UN said, warning that the ceasefire is a fragile pause that could break.
Amid escalating tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to increase Israeli control of Gaza to 70% of its territory, raising concerns that a new phase of conflict may erupt if Hamas stalls its disarmament talks.
