22 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on homes, vehicles across Gaza despite ceasefire
At least 22 Palestinians were killed Saturday in Israeli airstrikes that hit homes and a vehicle in several areas of the Gaza Strip, in a new violation of the ceasefire that has been in effect since Oct. 10.
Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal said in a video statement that women, children and elderly people were among the victims in the attacks that destroyed entire buildings.
He said five people were killed and others wounded after an Israeli drone strike targeted a civilian vehicle near the Abbas Junction in western Gaza City.
In the same city, four Palestinians were killed when a strike hit a home on al-Labbabidi Street.
In central Gaza, Bassal said two Palestinians were killed and others wounded when an Israeli strike targeted a house near the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in western Deir al-Balah.
In the Nuseirat refugee camp, three Palestinians were killed when a strike struck a home next to the Al-Awda Hospital.
Also, in Nuseirat, seven Palestinians were killed after an Israeli strike hit a home in Camp 2.
Bassal did not specify where the additional fatalities occurred.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office claimed on the US social media company X that “Hamas violated the ceasefire again,” alleging that the group sent a fighter “into Israel held territory to attack IDF (army) soldiers.”
“In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas members,” it added.
Hamas urged mediators and the US administration “to pressure Israel to reveal the identity of the gunman it claims Hamas sent.”
The group said Israel is “fabricating pretexts to evade the agreement and return to the war of extermination,” adding that Israel “violates the agreement daily and systematically.”
Israeli forces also shot and injured three Palestinians near the al-Bureij camp in central Gaza and Jabalia in the north, according to medics.
The Israeli army claimed that its forces “eliminated” a gunman after he allegedly crossed the yellow line.
At dawn, Israeli forces also carried out strikes on areas east of al-Bureij and Deir al-Balah, as well as eastern Rafah and Khan Younis in the south, in addition to parts of the Tuffah and Shujaiya neighborhoods in eastern Gaza City.
The casualties came as the Israeli army blew up residential buildings and facilities by carrying out airstrikes and detonating booby-trapped vehicles in the eastern parts of Rafah and Khan Younis, which fall under the Israeli-controlled yellow zone in southern Gaza.
Similar airstrikes and explosions were reported in the Al-Tuffah and Shujaiya neighborhoods, as well as artillery shelling and occasional gunfire from Israeli military vehicles positioned on the edge of the yellow zone, witnesses said.
On Friday, the Israeli army targeted Palestinian buildings in army-controlled areas in Khan Younis, Gaza City, Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza and the Jabalia refugee camp in the north.
Israel continues to occupy more than 50% of Gaza under the ceasefire agreement, with the “yellow line” separating areas under army deployment from those inhabited by Palestinians.
Recently, the Israeli army re-escalated its attacks east of the yellow line, destroying vast areas and rendering nearby zones highly hazardous to civilians.
Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 victims in Gaza, primarily women and children, injured over 170,800, and reduced the enclave to rubble. The onslaught came to a halt under a ceasefire deal that took effect Oct. 10.