DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s military launched airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday, targeting Hamas militants and testing the fragile ceasefire that began on October 10. Gaza health officials reported at least 24 fatalities and 54 injuries, many involving children, as the U.N.-backed plan to stabilize and govern the territory continues to move forward.
Deadly Strikes Across Gaza
One strike in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood hit a vehicle, killing 11 and wounding more than 20, according to Rami Mhanna, managing director of Shifa Hospital. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the hospital director, noted that most of the injured were children. Additional strikes targeted residential areas near Al-Awda Hospital, Nuseirat camp, and Deir al-Balah, resulting in multiple deaths and dozens of injuries. Eyewitnesses described scenes of destruction, with homes partially destroyed and smoke filling the streets.
Israel Cites Ceasefire Violations
The Israeli military said the attacks were in response to an “armed terrorist” who crossed into an Israeli-held area in southern Gaza and fired at troops. No Israeli soldiers were harmed. Officials described the breach as “an extreme violation” of the ceasefire. Other military actions included the killing of five “terrorists” in Rafah and two others in northern Gaza after incursions into Israeli-held areas.
Background and Context
The conflict began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and left over 250 hostages. Subsequent Israeli retaliatory operations have caused significant civilian casualties in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 69,733 Palestinians have died and 170,863 have been injured since the war began, figures that include both new casualties and recovered victims from earlier strikes. Women and children constitute a majority of those killed.
Ceasefire and International Efforts
The U.N. Security Council recently approved a U.S.-sponsored plan to stabilize Gaza. The blueprint calls for an international force to maintain security, a transitional governing authority overseen by former President Donald Trump, and a potential future path toward an independent Palestinian state. Saturday’s strikes underscore the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the ongoing challenges to peace and governance in Gaza.
Eyewitness Accounts
Khalil Abu Hatab of Deir al-Balah described the chaos: “Suddenly, I heard a powerful explosion. I looked outside and saw smoke covering the entire area. I couldn’t see a thing. I covered my ears and started shouting to the others in the tent to run…It’s a fragile ceasefire. This is not a life we can live. There’s no safe place.”
