Israeli Airstrikes Claim Dozens of Lives in Gaza, Including Multiple Children
Hospitals across the Gaza Strip reported that Israeli military strikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least thirty Palestinians, with several children among the victims. This tragic incident represents one of the highest single-day casualty tolls recorded since the October ceasefire agreement was established. The strikes occurred just one day after Israeli authorities accused Hamas of committing new violations of the truce, further escalating regional tensions.
Multiple Locations Targeted Across Gaza Territory
Medical officials confirmed that the Israeli strikes impacted various locations throughout Gaza, including an apartment building situated in Gaza City and a makeshift tent camp in Khan Younis. Hospital personnel who received the bodies detailed that the casualties included two women and six children from two separate families, highlighting the civilian nature of many victims. In a particularly devastating attack, an airstrike directly hit a police station in Gaza City, killing at least fourteen individuals and wounding numerous others, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital.
Timing Coincides with Critical Rafah Crossing Opening
These deadly strikes unfolded just one day before the scheduled reopening of the Rafah border crossing, located in Gaza's southernmost city along the Egyptian border. Throughout nearly the entire duration of the conflict, all of Gaza's border crossings—the remainder being with Israel—have remained sealed. For countless Palestinians, the Rafah crossing represents a vital lifeline, offering hope for tens of thousands requiring urgent medical treatment outside the territory, where the majority of healthcare infrastructure lies in ruins.
The planned, albeit initially limited, opening of this crossing is set to proceed as the United States-brokered ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas transitions into its second implementation phase. Other formidable challenges persist, including the complex process of demilitarizing the strip after nearly two decades of Hamas governance and establishing a new administrative body to oversee massive reconstruction efforts.
International Mediators Condemn Israeli Military Actions
Egypt, serving as one of the primary ceasefire mediators, issued a formal statement condemning the Israeli strikes in what it described as the "strongest possible terms." The Egyptian government warned that these military actions constitute "a direct threat to the political course" of the fragile truce. Similarly, Qatar, another key mediator in the region, released a statement characterizing Israel's strikes as a "dangerous escalation" and asserted that their continuation poses a "direct threat" to the entire political negotiation process.
Detailed Accounts of Civilian Casualties Emerge
Nasser Hospital provided harrowing details about the strike on the tent camp in Khan Younis, reporting that it ignited a fierce fire which claimed seven lives. The victims included a father, his three children, and three grandchildren. Atallah Abu Hadaiyed, a witness to the aftermath, described the chaotic scene: "We came running and found my cousins lying here and there, with fire raging. We don't know if we're at war or at peace, or what. Where is the truce? Where is the ceasefire they talked about?" he lamented, as survivors sifted through ruins that included a blood-stained mattress.
Shifa Hospital further reported that the strike on the Gaza City apartment building killed three children, along with their aunt and grandmother. A relative, Samir Al-Atbash, mourned the loss, stating, "The three girls are gone, may God have mercy on them. They were asleep, we found them in the street," emphasizing that the family were civilians with no affiliations to Hamas. Body bags, each marked with names, were lined up at the base of a hospital wall.
Regarding the police station attack, Shifa Hospital confirmed that the at least fourteen fatalities included four policewomen, civilians, and inmates. The hospital also reported an additional fatality from a separate strike on the eastern perimeter of the Jabaliya refugee camp.
Hamas and Israeli Military Offer Conflicting Narratives
The Hamas organization condemned Saturday's strikes as "a renewed flagrant violation" of the ceasefire agreement and urgently called upon the United States and other mediating nations to pressure Israel to halt its military operations. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim publicly questioned the legitimacy of the proposed international governing body for Gaza, stating on social media platform X, "All available indicators suggest that we are dealing with a 'Board of War,' not a 'Board of Peace.'"
Conversely, the Israeli military, which has conducted strikes on both sides of the ceasefire's designated dividing line, maintained that its attacks since October have been direct responses to violations of the agreement. Israeli defense officials stated that Saturday's strikes were precipitated by what they described as two separate ceasefire violations occurring the previous day. These incidents allegedly involved Israeli forces neutralizing three militants who emerged from a tunnel in an Israeli-controlled sector of Rafah, and four additional militants who approached troops near the dividing line.
Casualty Figures Highlight Escalating Violence
The number of fatalities reported on Saturday significantly exceeded the daily average observed since the ceasefire initially took effect. As of the preceding Friday, Gaza's Health Ministry—a division of the Hamas-led administration—had documented at least 520 Palestinian deaths resulting from Israeli military actions since the ceasefire's commencement. This ministry maintains detailed casualty records that United Nations agencies and independent conflict analysts generally regard as reliable.
The broader conflict originated with the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in October, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, predominantly civilians, and led to the capture of 251 hostages. The remains of the final hostage held in Gaza were recovered earlier this week, according to Israeli authorities.
