Six injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza amid fears over economic exploitation

At least six people were injured in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning as the Israeli army continued to carry out airstrikes and artillery shelling on multiple areas, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Nasser Hospital reported that three people were wounded by fire from an Israeli drone east of the southern city of Khan Younis.

Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said a further three people were injured by Israeli forces in Jabalia, in the north of the devastated territory.

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli airstrikes, helicopter gunship fire and artillery shelling targeted areas east of Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah, where Israeli forces remain stationed.

In the central Gaza Strip, Israeli military vehicles opened machine-gun fire toward the homes of Palestinian civilians east of the Bureij refugee camp, while helicopters fired bursts of gunfire, according to eyewitnesses.

Israel has continued to attack Palestinian civilians in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect last October, with more than 400 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces during this period.

The Gaza Strip has been left utterly devastated by Israel's war, which began in October 2023. At least 70,942 people have been killed, the majority of them women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Warning issued over economic exploitation

Israel imposed a siege during the war, cutting off essential goods and triggering widespread malnutrition and starvation.

The United Nations declared a famine in Gaza in August. While the UN said last Thursday that the famine had eased, it warned that thousands of people continue to face severe levels of malnutrition.

Some aid has entered the territory since the ceasefire, but deliveries have remained inconsistent amid ongoing Israeli restrictions.

Gaza's economy ministry warned on Tuesday of "dangerous practices" by some traders and middlemen seeking to exploit the crisis.

The ministry said these individuals had imposed exorbitant fees to supply goods to the Gaza Strip, accusing them of "exploiting citizens' suffering in clear violation of laws, regulations and humanitarian norms".

It said it had documented information related to these practices and would pursue legal and regulatory action to protect the interests of Gaza's population, warning that those involved would be held accountable, particularly given the enclave’s exceptional circumstances.