JERUSALEM/ABU DHABI - Israeli soldiers killed at least two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the military said, describing them as militants who crossed a demarcation line separating areas under Israeli military control.

In a statement, the army said that two "terrorists" were shot after crossing the "yellow line" and approaching Israeli troops in southern Gaza, claiming they "posed an immediate threat." An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson confirmed to Xinhua that the incident occurred in the Khan Younis area.

The statement added that Israeli forces remain deployed "in accordance with the ceasefire agreement" but would "continue to act to remove any immediate threat."

According to Palestine's official news agency WAFA, two Palestinians, including a child, were killed on Monday in an Israeli drone strike east of Khan Younis.

Citing medical sources, WAFA said the victims were hit when a drone targeted a group of civilians in the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis.

Although a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since Oct 10, skirmishes between the two sides continued. At least 242 Palestinians have been killed and 622 wounded since Oct 11, the Gaza health authorities said, bringing the total death toll from Israeli fire since Oct 7, 2023, to 69,179, with 170,693 injured. 

Regional peace efforts

United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke Monday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about strengthening bilateral cooperation and developments in the Middle East, the UAE's state news agency WAM reported.

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During a phone call, the two leaders reviewed the latest situation in the region, including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, WAM said. They stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire and ensuring the continued, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

The president and Starmer also underscored the urgent need to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, describing it as the only viable path to regional stability and a better future for all peoples in the region.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the long-standing UAE-Britain partnership to advance shared interests and promote prosperity, WAM reported.

According to a statement from the British prime minister's office, the two sides also discussed the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Starmer said Britain is urging all parties to cease hostilities and support efforts toward peace.

On Gaza, the British statement said both leaders agreed that the priority must be to support implementation of the U.S.-brokered peace plan, including the decommissioning of Hamas weaponry, and to sustain the ceasefire as a step toward lasting peace in the region.