Gaza's media office has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire with Hamas 47 times since the truce began in early October, resulting in 38 Palestinian deaths and 143 injuries, according to a statement. The violations include direct gunfire against civilians, deliberate shelling, and arrests, reflecting what the office described as a continued policy of aggression despite the declared end of the war.
The deadliest single violation occurred on Friday when Israeli forces killed 11 members of a Palestinian family in Gaza City. The family was travelling by bus to their home in the Zeitoun neighbourhood when the vehicle was attacked for allegedly crossing the 'yellow line', an imaginary boundary marking areas of Israeli army control. Gaza's civil defence agency confirmed the victims included seven children and three women.
In response, Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Rafah crossing, a crucial aid entry point, would remain closed until Hamas returns the bodies of all deceased hostages. The Israeli military reported that the Red Cross had received the bodies of two hostages on Saturday. Meanwhile, Turkey has deployed disaster relief specialists to assist in recovering bodies from rubble, as Gaza's health ministry reports over 68,000 Palestinian deaths.
Aid remains critically scarce, with humanitarian agencies warning of delays in food convoy entry. Israel also returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Saturday, bringing the total to 135. Doctors at Nasser hospital reported signs of torture on the bodies, including blindfolds and bullet wounds to the head.
