Medics said Israeli aircraft targeted two checkpoints operated by the Hamas-run police force in Khan Younis, killing three policemen and three civilians, including a girl, and wounding four others.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes.Local health authorities said more than 680 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect in November, underscoring persistent hostilities despite the agreement.

The total death toll in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023 has surpassed 72,000, according to officials in the territory.The latest strikes come as Israel remains engaged in a broader regional conflict, including military operations linked to tensions with Iran and ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Health officials in Gaza say at least 50 Palestinians have been killed since the escalation involving Iran began roughly a month ago.

Violence has continued intermittently across Gaza during the ceasefire period, with no indication of a sustained de-escalation.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Atawi was involved in orchestrating attacks on Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, accusing him of “planning and advancing terrorist activities” targeting soldiers stationed along the northern border.

Atawi, a commander of the group’s armed wing known as the Fajr Forces, was reportedly killed while driving from his residence to his office in the Lebanese capital.

The Fajr Forces had been active during the conflict last year, firing rockets across southern Lebanon into northern Israel. That war, which lasted nearly a year, concluded with a fragile ceasefire agreement. During the fighting, multiple members of the Fajr Forces were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli operations have continued across Lebanese territory, primarily targeting Hezbollah militants and weapons depots. Tuesday’s strike marks one of the rare incidents involving Jama’a Islamiya since the truce.

Lebanese authorities, Hezbollah, and Jama’a Islamiya have condemned the ongoing Israeli strikes and the continued occupation of several hilltop positions in southern Lebanon by Israeli troops. They argue such actions violate Lebanon’s sovereignty and the terms of the ceasefire.

Israel maintains that its operations are defensive, aimed at neutralizing threats to its civilian population.

The targeted killing of Atawi is expected to raise tensions along the already volatile Israel-Lebanon border, as regional instability continues to challenge the year-old truce.