Israeli strike kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza, health officials say, the latest deaths as truce stalls

Palestinians mourn over the bodies of two members of Hamas, Muhammad Abu Jabal, and Fadl Al-Burdini who were killed in an Israeli military strike, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike on Thursday killed at least two Palestinians, who were identified by relatives as members of Hamas, and wounded five others east of Gaza City, a hospital director said.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

The deaths and injuries were confirmed by Fadel Naeem, director of Al-Ahli Hospital, where the casualties arrived. Family members identified the men who died in the strike as Muhammad Abu Jabal and Ali al-Burdini, and said both were members of Hamas.

Deadly Israeli strikes have repeatedly disrupted the truce since it took effect on Oct. 10. The escalating Palestinian toll has prompted many in Gaza to say it feels like the war has continued unabated.

Separately, Israel’s military said Thursday that soldiers in southern Gaza had killed a Palestinian who had crossed the line dividing the Israeli-held area of the strip from the area most Palestinians are crammed into. Such shootings have become a common occurrence in the territory since the ceasefire took hold.

The military said the person they killed was a militant and had posed a threat to troops. It maintains that claim when describing most cases of Palestinians shot down in the vicinity of the line, even though some civilians have been killed, including young children, said a military official who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity in line with military rules.

Lebanon says Israeli strike kills Syrian boy

Israel launched a series of strikes Thursday in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, saying they targeted military compounds of the Iran-backed, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Lebanon’s health ministry said a 16-year-old Syrian boy was killed. The Bekaa Valley is home to numerous camps housing Syrian refugees.

The state-run National News Agency said the Israeli strikes wounded 29 people. There was no immediate statement from Hezbollah.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire nominally ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November 2024. Israel has continued to launch near-daily strikes into Lebanon, saying it aims to stop Hezbollah from regrouping.

Gaza war accounts for two-thirds of journalists killed last year: report

On Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists released a report saying that more journalists and media workers were killed in 2025 than in any other year since the organization began collecting data more than three decades ago. At least 129 journalists and media workers were killed, two-thirds of them by Israel.

Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old who freelanced for The Associated Press, was among the war’s victims. She and four other reporters were killed last year when Israeli forces struck Nasser Hospital in the Gaza town of Khan Younis, along with 17 other people.

Gaza’s Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 618 Palestinians had been killed since the start of the ceasefire, bringing the cumulative toll to 72,082 killed since the start of Israel’s offensive. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. But it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

It comes as last year’s ceasefire sees some progress but appears to be largely stalled on key points. After its chaotic opening weeks, officials say more Palestinians are entering and leaving Gaza for Egypt via the reopened Rafah crossing. The Palestinian technocratic committee that is supposed to oversee the territory’s daily affairs still has not been allowed to enter Gaza. Plans for an international peacekeeping force meant to provide security in Gaza are also beginning to take shape but no troops have been deployed.

Israel and Hamas remain divided over the timeline and scope of Israel’s withdrawal and the demilitarization of the enclave after nearly two decades of Hamas rule.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct. 7, 2023. The 251 hostages taken in the attack were returned to Israel in various ceasefire agreements, with the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili -- the final body in Gaza -- were found and returned in January, paving the way for the advance of the ceasefire agreement. The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

Ezzidin reported from Cairo. Julia Frankel contributed from Jerusalem.

Wafaa Shurafa And Toqa Ezzidin, The Associated Press