Gaza / PNN /

 Five Palestinians were killed in Rafah and a sixth in southern Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip by Israeli fire on Tuesday, while Al-Qassam Brigades and Al-Quds Brigades handed over the body of an Israeli prisoner to Red Cross teams in central Gaza. The body was transferred to the Israeli side and then referred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for further identification procedures.

The Israeli army acknowledged on Tuesday evening the killing of five Palestinians in Rafah, claiming they were armed and apparently “exiting a tunnel east of Rafah,” amid ongoing Israeli targeting of Hamas operatives trapped inside the tunnel.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza issued its daily statistical report on the number of casualties from the Israeli aggression in the Strip, reporting 17 fatalities (3 new and 14 recovered) and 16 injuries admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours. The report noted that some victims remain under rubble and in the streets, as emergency and civil defense teams have been unable to reach them so far.

According to the ministry, since the ceasefire on 11 October 2025, the total number of fatalities has reached 345, with 889 injuries, and 588 recoveries. The report also highlighted that since 7 October 2023, Israeli aggression has claimed 69,775 lives and caused 170,965 injuries, reflecting the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip.

The Israeli army continues to violate the ceasefire in Gaza, while displaced residents endure harsh conditions in tents amid heavy rain and significantly dropping temperatures.

Ismail Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, stated that the daily aid allowed to enter does not exceed 200 trucks out of the 600 agreed, describing this as “clear evidence of the continuation of a deliberate starvation policy.