Israel says its forces are shooting at gunmen in Gaza as the ceasefire enters the fifth day, and the deadly operation continues in the West Bank.

Tel Aviv — Testing fragile limits cease-fire On its fifth day, the Israeli army said, on Thursday, that its forces opened fire in the south Gaza Strip On masked armed suspects who pose a threat to their safety. The Israeli army reported, in a statement, that incidents occurred east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and in the area of ​​the Kerem Shalom border crossing, through which aid trucks have been delivering more food, water and medical supplies since the ceasefire entered into force. .

The Israeli army said that it had killed an activist from the Islamic Jihad movement, and that Israel remains “determined to fully maintain the terms of the (ceasefire) agreement in order to return the hostages,” but it is also “prepared for any scenario and will continue to do so.” To take all necessary measures to thwart any direct threat to IDF soldiers.”

There was no immediate response to the incident from Hamas rulers in Gaza.

Hours before the IDF confirmed the operation in southern Gaza, the newly sworn-in United States was sworn in Secretary of State Marco Rubio Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called and told the Israeli leader that “maintaining the United States’ steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for President Trump,” according to a statement. Read the call.

Rubio made a series of calls to foreign ministers around the world, but Netanyahu was the first head of state to speak to him, according to readouts provided by the State Department. The two men also discussed releasing the remaining 94 Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, including seven Israeli-Americans, and addressing threats from Iran, although the State Department did not provide any details.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza has not reported any new deaths since the ceasefire took effect, but the official toll has continued to rise as rescue and recovery teams and ordinary citizens have found more bodies, and in some cases, piles of bones, in Gaza. The ruins of the destroyed Palestinian Strip.

The ministry said that as of Thursday, its tally showed that more than 47,200 people were killed during the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, which saw nearly 1,200 people killed and 251 others kidnapped. The ministry said that the remains of more than 160 people have been recovered in Gaza since the ceasefire began on Sunday.

It is believed that thousands of bodies are still under collapsed buildings in the enclave, which was inhabited by about 2.3 million people before the war. The Hamas government’s media office in Gaza said on Thursday that about 14,000 people are still missing.

Faster recovery efforts, along with aid distribution, have been hampered by a lack of heavy equipment operating in the Strip and its damaged infrastructure, according to rescue workers and relief agencies.

As of Wednesday, the United Nations said 808 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, including food, fuel and medical supplies, had entered the Strip since the ceasefire came into effect. But the ceasefire and hostage release agreement negotiated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt requires the entry of 600 trucks into the region daily.

Hamas said it would release four more hostages – Israeli women – on Saturday. The initial exchange took place on Sunday Three prisoners were released In exchange for the release of about 90 Palestinian prisoners from an Israeli occupation prison in the occupied West Bank. Israel is expected to release another 200 Palestinian detainees in the upcoming exchange this weekend.

Meanwhile, A A “large-scale” military attack. Attacks launched by the Israeli army in the West Bank earlier this week continued throughout the night, and were concentrated in and around the sprawling Jenin refugee camp in the northern Palestinian territories.

The Israeli military said it killed two men in Operation Iron Wall who were linked to the Hamas-allied Islamic Jihad movement, claiming that the men shot and killed three Israelis in an attack on a bus two weeks ago in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank, which is not controlled by Hamas like Gaza, said on Wednesday that 10 Palestinians were killed during the new Israeli army operation.

The “iron wall” was a major show of force by the Israeli army in Jenin, an area of ​​the West Bank that Israel has long considered a stronghold for Iranian-backed armed groups. Since the Gaza ceasefire took effect, the IDF has redirected its focus – and firepower – to the West Bank.

One of several initial steps President Trump took as he began his second term this week was to withdraw Biden-era sanctions on Israeli settlers deemed a threat to security in the West Bank.

Domestically, for Prime Minister Netanyahu, the West Bank offensive may be at least partly aimed at placating a segment of his support base — including Far-right members of his government – Those who were angered by the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Israel’s former national security minister, right-wing nationalist Itamar Ben Gvir, resigned in protest against the deal, saying it surrendered to terrorism.

If the country’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, another member of the far-right government, resigns, Netanyahu’s fragile coalition government will collapse. Early national elections must then be called in the country, which could jeopardize Netanyahu’s long hold on political power.