Staff Reporter

Israeli warplanes and artillery have intensified attacks on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis despite Israel’s stated return to a US-brokered ceasefire two days prior, according to reports from the enclave.

The renewed shelling and air raids throughout the eastern regions of Khan Younis have shattered the tenuous calm, leaving Palestinians struggling with a ceasefire that offers no true peace and struggling to find basic necessities like food and shelter.

Residents expressed fear of a full-scale return to the intense Israeli bombing campaign that has defined the conflict since October 2023.

The Israel-Gaza war, which began in October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of at least 68,527 people and wounded 170,395 in Gaza.

Meanwhile, a cash shortage is paralyzing the local economy. Palestinians report being unable to withdraw adequate funds from banks that only recently reopened, with long queues and a maximum withdrawal of just $123 to $153.

The psychological toll on Gaza’s population remains profound.

Parents and children are dealing with deep trauma from years of assault.

Amid the hostilities, Hamas returned the bodies of two more deceased Israeli captives, identified by Israel as Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch, in line with the ceasefire agreement.

Separately, a 15-year-old Palestinian boy, Yamen Samed Hamed, was killed overnight during an Israeli forces raid in Silwad, east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.