Israeli strikes in Gaza on Saturday killed at least six people, including two children and a cameraman for Al Jazeera, according to Palestinian health officials. Despite an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, near-daily Israeli attacks have killed over 1,000 Palestinians since the truce began, Gaza's Health Ministry reports.
Overnight Strike Kills Two Sisters
The first strike hit an apartment in Gaza City around 2 a.m., according to the ministry. An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw rubble and blood-stained concrete. The bodies of 4-year-old Zina and 14-year-old Lana were taken to Shifa Hospital's morgue, where they lay in white hospital bags surrounded by family.
Their cousin, Mohammad Safadi, who suffered a forehead wound, said: "I was sitting at home. The rocket fell on us without a warning. This ceasefire the occupation and the negotiation team speak of … is this really a ceasefire? We are civilians. I never held a weapon." Safadi added that his wife was also injured.
Al Jazeera Cameraman Killed in Bureij
On Saturday evening, three Israeli strikes killed four people and wounded at least a dozen others. One strike hit a house in central Gaza's Bureij refugee camp without warning, killing three, including Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah, according to Al-Aqsa hospital. Al Jazeera confirmed his death. Wishah's brother Mohamed, an Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed in an Israeli strike in April.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the incident but later stated it killed Wishah in a "precise strike," asserting he was part of Hamas' military wing and posed a threat to troops. Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the killing, calling for accountability and protection for journalists.
Additional Strikes in Muwasi and Gaza City
A strike on a group in the tent camp of Muwasi in southern Gaza killed one and wounded eight, according to Nasser hospital. Another strike in Gaza City wounded at least four, per Shifa hospital. The Israeli military says it targets Hamas and other militants who pose a threat. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
Broader Context of the Conflict
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 73,018 Palestinians, including those slain since the ceasefire, Gaza's Health Ministry said. The ministry, staffed by medical professionals, is considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up about half of all fatalities.
