Senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad figures reported killed in airstrike in Gaza

A senior figure in the armed wing of Hamas, a policeman, and a senior figure in the group Islamic Jihad were among at least ten people killed on Thursday in a series of Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to local sources.

Local medics and residents reported the deaths of senior Islamic Jihad operative Ashraf Al-Khatib in Nuseirat and a Hamas policeman in Gaza city. A Hamas source said that local commander Mohammed Al-Holy was killed in Deir al-Balah, earlier in the day.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond following the incident.

Palestinian media identified him as Mohammed Al-Holy, describing him as a local Hamas commander in Deir Al-Balah.

Hamas condemned the strikes on the Al-Holy family, in a statement that did not mention Mohammed or his role in the group. It accused Israel of violating the ceasefire deal in place since October, and attempting to reignite the war.

More than 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed since a fragile ceasefire took effect in October.

Israel has razed buildings and ordered residents out of more than half of Gaza where its troops remain.

Nearly all of the territory's more than 2 million people now live in makeshift homes or damaged buildings in a sliver of territory where Israeli troops have withdrawn and Hamas has reasserted control.

The United Nations children agency said on Tuesday that over 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire, including victims of drone and quadcopter attacks.

Hamas says technocratic committee key to consolidating Gaza truce

A senior Hamas official on Thursday welcomed the formation of a technocratic committee to govern post-war Gaza, saying it would help consolidate the ceasefire and prevent a return to fighting.

Egypt, a mediator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, announced the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee that would operate under the overall supervision of a so-called "Board of Peace," to be chaired by US President Donald Trump.

"The formation of the committee is a step in the right direction," said Bassem Naim, a senior leader in the Palestinian movement.

"This is crucial for consolidating the ceasefire, preventing a return to war, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis and preparing for comprehensive reconstruction," he said.

Hamas has repeatedly said it does not seek a role in any future governing authority in Gaza and would limit its involvement to monitoring governance.

Naim said Hamas was ready to hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to the national transitional committee and to facilitate its work.

"The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee," he said.

He urged them to counter what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to "stall or obstruct" the next stages of the ceasefire.

Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Gaza has been split by a so-called "Yellow Line", marking the boundary between territory controlled by Hamas and areas under Israeli military authority.

Washington's top envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday the ceasefire had moved into its second stage.

Key elements of the second stage include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the demilitarisation of the territory including the disarmament of Hamas, and steps to address the humanitarian crisis through accelerated aid deliveries and reconstruction.

The US-proposed Board of Peace is expected to be led on the ground by Bulgarian diplomat and politician Nickolay Mladenov, who has recently held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Mladenov previously served as the United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process from early 2015 until the end of 2020.

Media reports say Trump is expected to announce the members of the Board of Peace in the coming days, with the body set to include around 15 world leaders.

Israel and Hamas have traded blame for violations of the ceasefire and remain far apart from each other on key issues, despite the United States announcing the second phase of the ceasefire on Wednesday.

Israel launched its operations in Gaza in the wake of an attack by Hamas-led fighters on October, 2023 which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's assault has killed 71,000 people, according to health authorities in the strip, and left much of Gaza in ruins.