At least 25 Palestinians lost their lives in four Israeli air attacks on Wednesday in a region of Gaza controlled by Hamas since a fragile ceasefire was established in October, as confirmed by the local Health Ministry. Medics reported that 10 individuals perished in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, with two more casualties in the Shejaia suburb to the east, and the remaining deaths occurring in two separate incidents in Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza.
The Israeli military stated that it targeted Hamas sites throughout Gaza in response to the group’s members firing upon its troops, violating the nearly six-week-old ceasefire. Hamas criticized the airstrikes as a significant escalation and called on the U.S. to pressure Israel to abide by the ceasefire and cease its attacks.
Contrary to Hamas’ claims, a U.S. official, speaking anonymously, alleged that Hamas was attempting to disrupt the ceasefire and had not fulfilled its commitment to demilitarize. The official expressed confidence that these tactics would not succeed.
One witness, Kifah Mahmoud, recounted the chaos at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where she and her family, including her four orphaned grandchildren, sought refuge in a tent. She described the scene as people screamed and paramedics struggled to attend to the injured, with no warning given before the attacks.
The ongoing violence has underscored the fragility of the ceasefire, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of breaching the U.S.-brokered truce. The recent attacks transgressed an agreed-upon boundary separating Israeli and Palestinian territories, targeting structures housing displaced families in Zeitoun and Khan Younis.
Since the ceasefire commenced on October 10 in the two-year conflict in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have returned to the war-torn region. While the truce has facilitated this return and increased aid distribution, sporadic violence persists, resulting in casualties on both sides.
In a separate development, a Gaza company responsible for operating water desalination plants serving a significant portion of the enclave’s population resumed operations after a staff member detained by Hamas was released. The company clarified that the detention arose from a misunderstanding and affirmed its cooperation with the Hamas-led government.
The company’s role in providing clean water is crucial in Gaza, where sanitation infrastructure is severely damaged, and access to clean water is limited. Despite challenges such as fuel shortages for generators, the company operates numerous desalination plants and water distribution services across Gaza.
Hamas officials declined to comment on the staff member’s arrest, while Israel, in response to Hamas attacks, had previously imposed restrictions on water and electricity supplies to Gaza, which were later partially lifted during the conflict.