At least 22 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli air strikes across northern and central Gaza, according to officials from Hamas medical services and civil defence.
Five sites, including residential homes, were reportedly hit, with a senior Hamas commander among those killed.
The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to an incident earlier on Saturday, when it claimed an “armed terrorist” fired at soldiers after crossing the Strip’s so-called yellow line, which marks areas under full Israeli control. Hamas denied the claim. Both sides have accused each other of violating a ceasefire deal agreed six weeks ago.
Since the ceasefire came into effect, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 310 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes. Saturday’s attacks targeted Gaza City in the north, as well as Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat camp in central Gaza.
In Gaza City’s densely populated Rimal area, five people were killed near the Abbas junction, where witnesses said an Israeli strike set a car ablaze. Three others died near a mosque in Deir al-Balah. In Nuseirat, two homes were hit, with three killed at the Abu Amouneh family residence and seven at the Abu Shawish home. A further three fatalities occurred in western Gaza City later in the day.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Hamas violated the ceasefire again, sending a terrorist into Israel-held territory to attack IDF soldiers. In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas terrorists,” and urged mediators to ensure Hamas fulfills its side of the agreement.
Hamas described the strikes as a “blatant breach” of the ceasefire, accusing Israel of attempting to impose “new facts on the ground” and calling on mediators and the United States to intervene urgently.
The escalation comes amid ongoing tensions since the Israeli military launched an offensive in Gaza following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 69,500 people have died in Israeli attacks since the start of the conflict, including 280 during the ceasefire.
