At least three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency. The strike occurred near al-Hilu station in Gaza City, a location that houses both a private specialist hospital and a fuel station.

The killings follow separate Israeli military claims that four Hamas fighters were killed in northern Gaza. The Israeli military identified the individuals as Wael Mahmoud Ali Labad, Muaz Mohammad Hassan Ahmad, Sameh Abu Kamil, and Akram Ashraf Hamad Labad, stating they were killed in strikes. No evidence was provided to support the assertion that they were Hamas fighters.

These incidents occur despite an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a "ceasefire" reached in October. While large-scale combat has largely subsided, Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have persisted. Since the truce began, Gaza's Government Media Office reports at least 1,053 Palestinians killed and 3,406 wounded, alongside 3,465 alleged Israeli violations of the agreement.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health states that since Israel's military operations began in October 2023, a total of 73,066 Palestinians have been confirmed killed and 173,514 injured. During the period of the "ceasefire," the Israeli military has also continued to expand its controlled areas within Gaza and issue displacement orders.

Palestinians have been prohibited from entering territories beyond a designated "Yellow Line," effectively restricting access to approximately 53 percent of the enclave. This controlled land expanded to 64 percent of Gaza by March, with the military reportedly displacing residents and leveling remaining structures in these zones. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he had directed the military to extend control to over 70 percent of the Gaza Strip.

The "ceasefire" agreement was intended to progress to a second phase, which would involve Hamas releasing remaining captives in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. This phase was also meant to include the disarmament of Hamas and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

However, negotiations have been stalled for months, with significant disagreements remaining over Hamas's disarmament and the extent of any Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.

The ongoing violence and expansion of Israeli control raise further questions about the future of the "ceasefire" and the prospects for de-escalation in the region.