Israeli strikes kill at least eight in Gaza, including three children, despite ceasefire
Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least eight Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including three children, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in place since October.
Attacks across the Strip
Palestinian health officials reported between eight and nine fatalities on Wednesday as Israeli forces struck multiple locations in Gaza. A missile hit a tent for displaced people in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, killing at least four, including a 10-year-old child. Another strike near a school in Gaza City left one person dead and 12 wounded. Later, a six-year-old boy was shot dead in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, and an airstrike on a vehicle in the west of the city killed one more. In Rafah, a person died from a gunshot to the head. An eight-year-old child succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle attack the previous day, according to Haaretz.
- At least four killed, including a 10-year-old child, when a missile hit a displacement tent.
- One person killed and 12 wounded in an attack near a school.
- A six-year-old boy killed by Israeli gunfire.
- One person killed in an airstrike on a vehicle.
- One person killed by a gunshot to the head.
- An eight-year-old child died from wounds sustained in a vehicle attack on Tuesday.
The Israeli military said it had targeted fighters in Gaza City but was unaware of casualties. Regarding the death of truck driver Ahmad Salim in al-Mawasi, the army stated soldiers opened fire after "identifying an immediate threat" when he ran toward troops interrogating other drivers. It said it was investigating the other incidents.
Ceasefire under strain
The U.S.-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas took effect in October 2025, but violence has persisted. Since then, more than 1,070 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers have been killed, according to figures from both sides. Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire, while Israel says it targets militants who threaten its forces or participated in the October 2023 attack.
Both sides have violated the agreement.
Nickolay Mladenov, U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace envoy to Gaza, acknowledged mutual breaches. Israel has also expanded its control to about 11 percent beyond the so-called Yellow Line demarcation agreed in the truce, prompting warnings from UN agencies that the expansion endangers civilians and relief efforts.
Humanitarian toll
The overall death toll in the war since October 2023 has reached at least 73,110, with 173,599 injured, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The humanitarian situation remains dire: the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recorded nearly 9,300 cases of chickenpox across more than 130 health facilities, citing severe overcrowding and deteriorating hygiene.
International concern
The United Nations, numerous human rights organisations, and genocide researchers have accused Israel's government and military of war crimes and genocide in Gaza. The continued strikes, despite the ceasefire, have drawn renewed condemnation as civilian casualties mount.
