Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed 33 people, including women and children, in one of the most serious escalations since the US-backed ceasefire took effect last month, medical officials reported. In Khan Younis, 17 people died after four strikes targeted tents for displaced people, while in Gaza City, 16 were killed in two airstrikes.
Israel said the attacks came after its soldiers came under fire in Khan Younis, though no casualties were reported. Hamas condemned the strikes as a 'shocking massacre' and denied firing on Israeli troops. Since the ceasefire began, more than 300 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, according to Gaza authorities.
Palestinians described a sense of unending war. 'Every time we try to regain hope, the shelling starts again,' said Lina Kuraz, 33, from Gaza City. Mohammed Hamdouna, 36, displaced to al-Mawasi, said, 'The intensity of the death toll has decreased, but martyrs and shelling happen every day.' The strikes coincide with Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, where 13 died in a Palestinian refugee camp.
Qatar, a key mediator, condemned the 'brutal' airstrikes as a 'dangerous escalation that threatens to undermine the ceasefire agreement.' The UN Security Council endorsed a plan for Gaza, including an international stabilisation force, but challenges remain over Hamas disarmament, peacekeeping troops, and aid access.
The war began in October 2023 when Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 in Israel. Israel's ensuing offensive has killed over 69,000 Palestinians, with thousands more bodies under rubble. Each side accuses the other of violating the ceasefire terms.
