Health authorities in Gaza said that at least 24 Palestinians were killed and more than 50 others injured—including children—after a series of Israeli drone and missile strikes hit northern and central Gaza. The latest round of attacks has become one of the most serious challenges to the ceasefire that has been in place since October 10.
Officials described Saturday as among the deadliest days since the US-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began following two years of conflict.
The Israeli military stated that the strikes were carried out in response to an incident in southern Gaza, claiming that an “armed terrorist” had crossed the Yellow Line—an area inside Gaza from which Israeli troops have pulled back—and opened fire on Israeli soldiers.
The location, the military added, was part of a route used for humanitarian aid distribution. Following the gunfire, Israeli forces said they launched attacks on what they described as “terror targets” across Gaza, Indian Express reported.
Similar airstrikes have previously taken place during the truce when Israel reported attacks on its soldiers. Health officials noted that at least 33 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed in a similar wave of strikes over Wednesday and Thursday.
The health ministry in Hamas-governed Gaza said that by Thursday, a total of 312 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began.
Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating the truce agreement.
"Hamas violated the ceasefire again, sending a terrorist into Israel held territory to attack IDF soldiers," it said on X. "In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas terrorists."
"Israel has fully honoured the ceasefire, Hamas has not. We again call on the mediators to insist that Hamas fulfil its side of the ceasefire."
In a statement, Hamas said the "escalation" of Israeli violations were "attempts to undermine the ceasefire".
"We call on the mediators to intervene urgently and exert pressure to stop these violations immediately."
The Palestinian foreign ministry, situated in Israel's occupied West Bank, criticised the strikes. It asked the international community to put "immediate pressure" on Israel to "stop the massacres". Ceasefire is futile.
According to the UN humanitarian organisation OCHA, the ceasefire-related increase in aid delivery into Gaza "is still being held back by restrictions affecting visas and import approvals, too few crossing points operating" and other hurdles.