Israeli attacks kill three Palestinians in Rafah as ceasefire talks continue

# Israeli attacks kill three Palestinians in Rafah as ceasefire talks continue

*Event date: 2025-03-08*

Israeli attacks killed three Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, even as Hamas and Egyptian mediators pushed ahead with ceasefire discussions and Israel confirmed it would send a delegation to Qatar.

According to Al Jazeera's report, an Israeli drone struck a group of people east of Rafah city in the morning, killing two Palestinians. A separate person was killed by Israeli fire in al-Tannour, also east of Rafah. The violence came as Rafah was hit by shelling, tank fire and drone attacks affecting residential areas including al-Jnaina, ash-Shawka and Tal as-Sultan.

The deaths are part of a broader conflict in which Gaza's health ministry says tens of thousands have been killed since October 2023. In the same report, the ministry gave a cumulative toll of 48,453 dead and 111,860 wounded by Israeli attacks since the war began. The figures were presented against the backdrop of fresh diplomatic movement, but they also show how little the ceasefire process has eased day-to-day danger on the ground.

Hamas said its delegation was in Cairo to discuss the future of the ceasefire agreement, and on Saturday a spokesperson said there were positive indicators that the second phase of talks could begin soon. Israel's prime minister's office said a delegation would travel to Doha on Monday to advance the negotiations. The two sides, however, remained far apart on what should happen next.

Hamas has pushed for the second phase of the truce, which had been agreed in principle and would eventually lead to a complete end to fighting in exchange for the release of remaining captives. The Israeli government has wanted to extend the first phase until mid-April to secure more releases, while keeping open the option of a later return to war. That disagreement has kept the ceasefire fragile despite public references to progress.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has also worsened as Israel blocked aid deliveries until Hamas accepted its terms for an extension. Aid organisations warn that food, fuel and medical supplies remain scarce and that conditions are becoming more dangerous for civilians already exhausted by months of war. Al Jazeera noted that people in Gaza are still living through starvation and deprivation conditions, with public kitchens running short of stock.

The same report also included an appeal from more than 50 freed Israeli captives who urged Netanyahu to fully implement the ceasefire and complete a deal for those still held in Gaza. Their message showed that the pressure is not only on mediators and combatants, but also on former captives who fear renewed war.

For civilians in Rafah, the gap between diplomacy and reality remained stark. Negotiators were talking in Cairo and Doha, but on the ground Israeli fire still killed people in southern Gaza. The day offered a blunt reminder that even when ceasefire talks are active, the conflict itself never fully pauses.