Israeli strikes kill five people in Gaza as Israeli-backed militia clashes with Hamas grow

Israeli strikes kill five people in Gaza as Israeli-backed militia clashes with Hamas grow
People react near Palestinian fighters after clashes with Israeli-backed militia, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, 20 April 2026.
Reuters

Israeli strikes killed at least five people across the Gaza Strip on Monday (20 April), Palestinian health officials said, as clashes were reported between Hamas fighters and an Israeli-backed militia.

Medics said a man was killed in an airstrike in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. In a separate strike in Gaza City, one person was killed and several others were injured.

Later in the day, an airstrike in western Khan Younis killed at least three people, according to officials at Nasser Hospital.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incidents.

Fragile Gaza ceasefire under strain

The latest violence comes despite a ceasefire agreed in October after two years of war between Israel and Hamas. The deal, brokered by the United States, has seen limited progress.

Key provisions, including the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops, have stalled.

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces remain in control of a large buffer zone covering more than half of Gaza. Hamas continues to govern the remaining coastal strip.

Local health officials say more than 750 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by militant groups over the same period. Both sides accuse each other of breaching the ceasefire.

Israeli-backed militias add to tensions in the strip

Residents also reported fighting on Monday (20 April) in eastern Khan Younis. Witnesses and sources close to Hamas said gunmen from a militia operating in an Israeli-controlled area entered a Hamas-run zone, leading to clashes.

As the group tried to withdraw, a Hamas fighter fired an anti-tank grenade at a vehicle, residents said. An explosion was heard, but there were no confirmed reports of casualties.

Footage verified by Reuters appeared to show armed men in black uniforms arriving in the area before gunfire broke out. In a separate video that could not be independently verified, a militia leader said his group had entered the area to distribute aid before coming under fire.

A Hamas security official said its fighters responded after the group entered civilian areas, putting displaced families at risk.

Small, local militias have emerged in parts of Gaza under Israeli control. Their presence has added to tensions and may complicate efforts to stabilise the territory after months of conflict.

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