Israel on Saturday said that it conducted a “precise strike” in central Gaza’s Nuseirat area, claiming it was aimed at a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group allegedly preparing an attack on Israeli troops.

“The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] conducted a precise strike in the Nuseirat area in central Gaza targeting a terrorist from the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation who planned to carry out an imminent attack against IDF troops,” the statement said.

The strike took place despite a United States-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. Both sides, however, have accused each other of breaching the truce.

The IDF’s statement added that Israeli forces would act with restraint under the terms of the ceasefire but would respond decisively to any violation or imminent danger.

Eyewitnesses told Reuters that a drone struck a car, setting it on fire. Health officials in the area reported that four people were wounded, though no fatalities were immediately confirmed.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group on Sunday dismissed the IDF’s claim as a “mere fallacious allegation” without confirming whether any of its members had been killed, Reuters reported.

The group further called on the countries mediating the ceasefire to “compel” Israel to stop attacking Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that as a sovereign country, “Israel will decide which forces are unacceptable to us – and that is how we act and will continue to act,” Reuters reported.

As part of the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire, Hamas has released all living Israeli hostages, while Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The first phase also includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

However, the bodies of 13 hostages are still believed to be inside Gaza, Reuters reported.

Discussions are ongoing on further steps of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. These include the matter of disarmament, the governance of Gaza or whether Hamas will demilitarise.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on besieged Gaza since then, leaving more than 67,000 persons dead.

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