Israel kills 2 Palestinians in central Gaza despite ongoing ceasefire agreement

By Ramzi Mahmud and Lina Altawell

GAZA CITY / ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli forces killed two Palestinians early Friday east of the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, in an area where the military had previously withdrawn from under a ceasefire agreement, according to medical officials.

The incident came amid the near-daily Israeli violations since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, including shelling and gunfire that have killed 492 Palestinians and wounded 1,356 others.

The two Palestinians, Yasser Mohammed Abu Shahada, 21, and Walid Hassan Darwish, 20, were killed in an Israeli strike that hit an area east of the Maghazi camp, and their bodies were taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah, a medical source said.

Witnesses also added that an Israeli drone targeted a civilian gathering near the Abu Namous roundabout east of Maghazi early in the morning, killing the two men in an area Israeli forces had left under the ceasefire.

In a related development, witnesses said Israeli military vehicles and helicopters opened heavy, indiscriminate fire east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, in areas under Israeli control.

Israeli fighter jets also carried out several airstrikes inside areas controlled by the Israeli military in the southern city of Rafah, while heavy and random gunfire targeted western parts of the city.