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US Vice President JD Vance has said the ceasefire in Gaza remains in place despite a series of Israeli strikes that killed at least seven people in Gaza City and Khan Yunis on Tuesday. Vance told reporters the truce, brokered earlier this month by the Donald Trump administration to end a two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas, was "holding" but acknowledged that sporadic violence was continuing. "The ceasefire is holding. That doesn't mean there aren't going to be little skirmishes here and there," he said. "We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an Israeli soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the President's peace is going to hold despite that." Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement, which was reached following weeks of negotiations. The deal had brought a fragile halt to fighting that left thousands dead and displaced many more. Also Read: Israel Launches Air Strikes on Gaza, Moments After Netanyahu's Orders Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, said in a statement that "sniper fire and aerial bombardment" had killed several men but did not clarify whether they were members of the group. Hamas said two of those killed were fighters in its armed wing. The latest strikes come amid rising tensions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and difficulties in the exchange of bodies of deceased captives agreed under the ceasefire. Hamas has denied responsibility for what Israel described as an attack on its forces in Rafah that preceded Tuesday's strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to conduct what he called "powerful strikes" on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. Gaza's civil defence agency said five people were killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Yunis. "At least five (were killed) in an Israeli strike on a civilian vehicle in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip," said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the agency, which operates under Hamas authorities. The attack occurred shortly after two people were reported killed in a separate strike in Gaza City. Hamas said it had postponed the planned handover of an Israeli hostage's remains, citing the renewed bombardments.
