Israeli airstrikes and tank fire killed at least 20 Palestinians, including women and children, in the Gaza Strip this week, testing a fragile ceasefire that has repeatedly faltered amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas.
Gaza health officials said the strikes hit residential areas in central and southern Gaza, including Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, killing entire families and wounding dozens more. Among the dead were children and at least one medic who was responding to an earlier attack, according to hospital officials.
The Israeli military said the strikes were carried out after its forces came under fire, accusing Hamas and other militant groups of violating the ceasefire agreement. Israel said it was targeting militant infrastructure and gunmen, but did not directly address reports of civilian casualties.
The violence underscores the tenuous nature of the truce, which was brokered last year to halt months of fighting that devastated much of the Gaza Strip. While the ceasefire has reduced large-scale hostilities, both sides have accused the other of repeated violations.
The latest escalation also disrupted humanitarian operations. Palestinian and international officials said patient evacuations through the Rafah crossing into Egypt were temporarily halted due to security concerns, delaying critical medical care for the wounded and chronically ill.
Residents described scenes of panic as strikes hit densely populated neighborhoods. “There is no safe place,” said one Gaza City resident who fled his home after nearby explosions shattered windows and sent debris into the streets.
International aid groups and rights organizations expressed alarm at the civilian toll and urged all parties to uphold the ceasefire and protect noncombatants. Calls also grew for renewed diplomatic efforts to stabilize the truce and allow humanitarian aid to flow freely into the enclave.
The Gaza war, triggered by earlier attacks and retaliatory strikes, has killed tens of thousands and displaced much of the territory’s population. Despite repeated ceasefire efforts, deep mistrust and unresolved political and security disputes continue to fuel periodic outbreaks of violence.