A Palestinian woman and a young girl were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza on Monday, according to hospital authorities. The strike targeted a tent sheltering a displaced family in the Muwasi area, west of Khan Younis, as reported by the Kuwait field hospital, which received the casualties. The hospital also stated that another girl was wounded in the attack.
Military Response
The Israeli military confirmed it had struck a militant but provided no further details. This incident marks the latest fatalities among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since an October ceasefire deal aimed at halting a conflict lasting over two years between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Although the most intense combat has subsided, the fragile ceasefire has been marred by almost daily Israeli fire.
Ongoing Violence
Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes and frequently open fire on Palestinians near military-controlled zones, resulting in over 880 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, is generally considered reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts, though it does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.
Militants have carried out shooting attacks on Israeli troops, and Israel asserts that its strikes are in response to truce violations or threats to its soldiers. Since the ceasefire, four Israeli soldiers have been killed.
