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Strikes in Gaza claim 20 lives, hospitals report
At least 20 Palestinians, including children and a paramedic, died in Israeli airstrikes and tank fire across Gaza on Tuesday, according to medical officials in the territory. Nearly 40 others sustained injuries.
Israeli military defends targeted operations
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its tanks and aircraft conducted "precise strikes" against individuals it identified as "terrorists" who had fired on troops near the Yellow Line in northern Gaza. The attack left an Israeli officer seriously wounded.
The IDF characterized the incident as a "blatant violation" of the three-month-old ceasefire agreement with Hamas, asserting that the gunfire originated from areas where Israeli forces are stationed.
Hamas condemns strikes as pretext for aggression
Hamas accused Israel of using the shooting as "a flimsy pretext to justify the continuation of killing and aggression against our people."
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported receiving 13 bodies, including five children, following strikes on tents housing displaced families and residential buildings in the eastern Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods.
"Our children were martyred-my son was martyred, my brother's son and daughter were martyred. We have nothing to do with anything, we are peaceful people."
Abu Mohammed Haboush, mourner at Al-Shifa Hospital
Paramedic killed while aiding victims
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that four individuals, including one child, died in strikes on tents in the southern Qizan Rashwan area. Later, two sisters, Rahaf and Remas Abu Jamea, and paramedic Hussein al-Samiri were killed in the coastal al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis.
Jihad al-Hinnawi, a first responder from the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, told Reuters that al-Samiri had rushed to assist victims of an initial strike on a tent in al-Mawasi when a second strike hit the same location, killing him.
The Palestinian Red Crescent condemned al-Samiri's death as a "grave violation" of international humanitarian law, which protects medical personnel. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) echoed the sentiment, calling the killing "unacceptable" and emphasizing that first responders in Gaza continue to face life-threatening risks during humanitarian missions.
IDF claims strike targeted Hamas commander
The IDF stated that the strike in al-Mawasi targeted Bilal Abu Assi, a platoon commander in Hamas's elite Nukhba forces. The military alleged that Abu Assi led the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October 2023 and was likely involved in holding deceased hostages captive throughout the war.
The IDF acknowledged reports of civilian casualties, including a medical worker, and claimed that "steps were taken prior to and during the strike to mitigate harm to civilians."
Ceasefire violations continue
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of near-daily violations since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October. On Sunday, over 30 people were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza after the IDF said gunmen emerged from a tunnel in southern Rafah, beyond the Yellow Line.
According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 556 people have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military reported that four of its soldiers have died in Palestinian attacks during the same period.
The ongoing conflict was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has led to over 71,820 deaths, according to the territory's health ministry.
