Gaza Ceasefire Under Strain as Israeli Strikes Kill 21
The fragile US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faced renewed challenges on Saturday as Israeli air strikes killed 21 people in Gaza, marking one of the deadliest days since the truce began on October 10.
Key Developments
- 21 killed in five separate Israeli air strikes across Gaza
- Both sides accuse each other of violating ceasefire terms
- Strikes hit residential areas and humanitarian routes
- Death toll since truce now stands at 312 Palestinians
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 21 fatalities and dozens wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes. The violence erupted after Israel claimed an “armed terrorist” crossed the Yellow Line separation zone and fired at Israeli soldiers.
Military Response and Casualties
The Israeli military stated it “began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip” in response to the incident, which occurred on a route used for humanitarian aid deliveries. Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Hamas-operated civil defence, called the strikes “a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
Casualty breakdown included:
- Seven killed and 16+ injured in Nuseirat house strike
- Four killed in Al-Nasr district apartment strike
- Five killed in vehicle strike in Al-Rimal neighborhood
An AFP photographer witnessed children attempting to salvage food from the wreckage of a burnt-out vehicle hit in the first strike.
Official Statements and Accusations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of breaching the truce, stating: “Today, Hamas violated the ceasefire again, sending a terrorist into Israel held territory to attack IDF soldiers. In response, Israel eliminated five senior Hamas terrorists.”
The office emphasized Israel has “fully honoured the ceasefire” while claiming “dozens of Hamas terrorists have crossed the Israeli lines to attack our troops” during the truce period.
Hamas Response and Mediator Calls
Hamas condemned what it called “escalation” of Israeli violations as “attempts to undermine the ceasefire.” The group stated: “We affirm our rejection of all attempts by Netanyahu’s government to impose a de facto reality that contradicts what was agreed upon, and we call on the mediators to intervene urgently and exert pressure to stop these violations immediately.”
Ceasefire Context and Casualty Figures
The Saturday violence follows Wednesday’s deadly incidents, where 27 fatalities were reported—previously one of the deadliest days since the truce began. According to Hamas-run health ministry figures, 312 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect.
The broader conflict traces back to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,221 people. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 69,733 Palestinian deaths, according to UN-verified health ministry data.
