Gaza Tensions Rise as Peace Efforts Stall

In a recent escalation, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians, including two young boys, in different parts of Gaza. This happened while the U. S. is trying to push forward a peace plan that has so far made little progress. The deaths occurred in central and southern Gaza. Three people, including a 10-year-old boy, died from Israeli tank shells near Deir Al-Balah. In Khan Younis, a 13-year-old boy and a woman were shot dead in separate incidents. These events took place in areas controlled by Palestinians. Since the October ceasefire, Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for breaking the agreement. The ceasefire ended major fighting, but tensions remain high. Israel has been slowly increasing its presence in Gaza, causing more Palestinian families to leave their homes. The Israeli military said they killed a militant who was a threat to their soldiers. They did not comment on the other incidents.The U. S. peace plan, introduced by President Donald Trump, has not moved past the first stage. This stage included a ceasefire, some Israeli troops pulling back, and the release of hostages. The next steps, which include Hamas giving up its weapons and more Israeli troops leaving, have not been decided yet. Trump was set to celebrate the Board of Peace, a group working on rebuilding Gaza. However, Israel says they won't move to the next phase until Hamas hands over the remains of the last Israeli hostage. Hamas says they have searched for the body but couldn't find it, blaming Israeli military actions. Since the ceasefire, over 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes. The conflict started after a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1, 200 people, according to Israel. In response, Israel's military actions have killed 71, 000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health authorities.