Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Monday resulted in the deaths of at least two Palestinians, officials reported, amid rising tensions and clashes between Hamas fighters and an Israeli-backed militia. The incidents highlight ongoing instability despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States in October.

According to health authorities, one Palestinian was killed in an airstrike targeting the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Another person was killed, and several others wounded, in a separate strike in Gaza City. These attacks mark a continuation of violence that has persisted since the ceasefire, which followed two years of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Although the ceasefire included stipulations such as the disarmament of Hamas and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, progress has been slow, and key elements of the agreement remain unresolved.

On the same day, clashes erupted east of Khan Younis between Hamas fighters and members of an Israeli-backed militia. Witnesses and Hamas sources reported that the militia members, dressed in black uniforms and armed with assault rifles, crossed into territory controlled by Hamas before being met with gunfire. Residents reported hearing an explosion as one militia vehicle was targeted with an anti-tank grenade during the group's attempted retreat, though no casualties were confirmed.

A video verified by independent sources showed the militia’s arrival and the subsequent exchange of gunfire. Hussam Alastal, the militia leader, claimed his group’s mission was to distribute food and cigarettes to residents in the area. He stated that one of his men was killed in the confrontation and issued a warning of further incursions aimed at seizing territory from Hamas, a group that considers militias like Alastal’s collaborators with Israel.

Conversely, a Hamas security official described the militia’s actions as an incursion into civilian areas, endangering displaced families and justifying Hamas’s armed response.

The presence of these small, Israeli-backed militias within Gaza complicates the security landscape, adding pressure on Hamas’s governance and efforts to maintain control. Though limited in number and scope, these groups operate under Israeli oversight and face widespread disapproval among Gazan residents.

This latest exchange underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the challenges facing Gaza’s stability as various armed factions continue to vie for influence and control within the territory.