The civil defence agency reported that three members of the same family—two aged 42 and one aged 28—were killed in Al-Qarara, east of Khan Yunis, with their remains recovered by rescue teams. Gaza authorities later confirmed two additional fatalities, including one resulting from a drone strike near Gaza City. When contacted by AFP, an Israeli military spokesperson stated that the army was looking into the reports.

The strikes coincided with a rare Israeli airstrike in the occupied West Bank, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated targeted militants planning attacks. Military operations in Gaza have persisted despite a US-brokered ceasefire initiated in October, with Israel maintaining its objective to eliminate remaining threats from Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Nickolay Mladenov, high representative for Gaza under the "Board of Peace" established by President Donald Trump, noted that ongoing deadly strikes make it difficult for residents to feel the impact of the truce, though he maintained the ceasefire is technically holding. Mladenov also stated that Hamas has yet to fulfill its disarmament commitments made late last month.

Meanwhile, tensions have risen over the flying of kites from Gaza into Israel. While past incidents involved explosive-laden devices, recent kites have carried no explosives—though at least one featured a political message. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned on Thursday that the deadline to halt the practice had passed, declaring that any launch would be treated as an act of terrorism.