Israel kills eight in Gaza despite Trump Hamas disarmament plan | Israel - Palestine conflict News

What Happened

Israeli forces killed at least eight Palestinians in strikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence. A helicopter strike hit an apartment south of Deir el-Balah, killing a man and woman. Three people were killed in Khan Younis and one in Gaza City’s Old City. The attacks occurred two days after the US Board of Peace published a 15-point roadmap for implementing last year’s Gaza ceasefire agreement, which calls for Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal. Hamas has conditioned weapons handover on a full halt of military operations and Israeli pullout. An Israeli official told Reuters there would be no withdrawal unless Hamas undergoes ‘genuine disarmament’. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly rejected the roadmap and urged continued targeting of Hamas leaders. Separately, an Israeli strike destroyed a medical supply warehouse in central Gaza on Saturday, leaving a crater 20 metres wide and 10 metres deep.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The Sunday strikes demonstrate a persistent gap between diplomatic ceasefire frameworks and ongoing military operations. Even as the US proposes a roadmap linking Hamas disarmament to Israeli withdrawal, both sides hold maximalist positions—Hamas demanding a full halt of strikes before disarming, and Israeli officials insisting on disarmament before any pullback. The violence undermines ceasefire credibility and complicates mediator efforts by Egypt and Qatar, risking further escalation and delaying humanitarian access.

Watch For

Whether Israel adopts or publicly addresses the US roadmap; Hamas’s response to continued strikes and its willingness to proceed with conditional disarmament; reactions from Qatar and Egypt as mediators; potential escalation if Israeli strikes persist or expand; and any change in Netanyahu’s public stance on the initiative.