Israeli military says it conducted targeted drone strike in central Gaza

Israeli forces carried out a targeted drone strike in central Gaza on Saturday, hitting what the military described as an individual preparing to attack Israeli troops. 

The operation took place despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has largely held between Israel and Hamas.

According to Israel’s military, the strike was aimed at a member of the Islamic Jihad group. The organization has not yet responded to the claim. Witnesses said a drone fired on a vehicle, setting it on fire, and local medics reported that four people were injured in the explosion. No deaths were immediately confirmed.

In a separate incident, residents in eastern Gaza City said Israeli tanks shelled parts of the area.

Meanwhile, several Israeli media outlets reported that Israel has allowed Egyptian officials to enter Gaza for the first time since the war began. Their mission reportedly involves helping locate the remains of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.

Under the current ceasefire terms, Hamas has agreed to return all captives it abducted during that attack. Israeli officials believe the remains of 13 hostages are still somewhere in Gaza.