Israeli air and artillery strikes kill at least five in Gaza.

Israeli forces launched a series of air and artillery strikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least five people, health officials in the enclave said. The attacks, which targeted what Israel described as militant positions in the northern and central parts of Gaza, came after a brief lull in hostilities and were the latest escalation in a conflict that has seen frequent cycles of violence for more than a decade.

The densely populated Gaza Strip, home to roughly two million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli‑Egyptian blockade since 2007, when the Islamist group Hamas seized control of the territory. Over the past two years, intermittent clashes have flared as Hamas and other armed factions fire rockets into southern Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes that often result in civilian casualties on both sides. The current round of fighting follows a recent exchange in which Hamas launched a barrage of rockets that reached several Israeli towns, prompting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to intensify its aerial campaign.

Israel maintains that its operations are aimed at degrading Hamas’s military capabilities and preventing further attacks on Israeli civilians. Israeli officials argue that the organization’s extensive tunnel network, stockpiles of rockets, and the use of civilian areas to shield weapons necessitate a robust response. The IDF has repeatedly warned that any attempt by Hamas to regroup or rearm will be met with force, emphasizing the need to protect the security of Israel’s population centers, including the major metropolitan area of Tel Aviv and the capital, Jerusalem.

From the Palestinian side, authorities in Gaza and international humanitarian groups condemn the strikes as disproportionate and call for an immediate ceasefire. They stress that the civilian death toll is rising despite efforts to shelter non‑combatants, and they accuse Israel of using excessive force that violates international law. Hamas, while acknowledging the civilian cost, frames its rocket fire as resistance against occupation and blockade, demanding the lifting of restrictions and the right of return for displaced Palestinians. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with shortages of electricity, clean water, and medical supplies exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.

The latest violence has drawn renewed attention from the international community. The United Nations, the European Union and several Arab states have urged restraint and the resumption of diplomatic talks, while the United States has reiterated its support for Israel’s right to self‑defence but also called for measures to protect civilians. Diplomatic channels are reportedly active, with mediators seeking to prevent the hostilities from spiralling into a broader regional confrontation that could involve Lebanon’s Hezbollah or draw in Iran’s regional proxies.

While the immediate flashpoint is localized, the instability reverberates across the wider Middle East and beyond. Disruptions to shipping lanes in the Eastern Mediterranean, where a significant portion of global oil and liquefied natural gas passes, can affect energy prices worldwide. Moreover, the conflict underscores the fragility of security arrangements in a region that is pivotal to global supply chains for high‑technology components, including semiconductors that Taiwan’s industry relies on. For Taiwan and other export‑driven economies, the risk of wider escalation highlights the importance of maintaining diversified trade routes and monitoring geopolitical risks that could impact the flow of critical inputs and energy supplies.