Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least thirteen people, including a child, according to health officials in the Palestinian territory. The attacks on Thursday also left dozens more injured.
Details of the Deadly Strikes
The strikes targeted areas in northern Gaza and to the east of Gaza City. Family members and Gazan authorities confirmed that at least one child was among the dead. Hospital officials reported that all thirteen fatalities occurred on Thursday, with at least a dozen other people wounded.
The Israeli military stated that the operation was a direct response to a failed rocket attack launched by militants from the Gaza City area. It said the strikes hit several Hamas fighters and what it described as the group's "terror infrastructure."
Ceasefire Violations and Trump's Peace Board
This latest violence unfolds against the backdrop of a fragile, phased ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which remains in its initial stage. The process has been complicated by ongoing efforts to recover the remains of the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump is expected to announce the members of his Board of Peace, a temporary governing body he will lead to oversee the ceasefire and his wider peace plan. The board's stated responsibilities include supervising the creation of a new Palestinian government, the disarmament of Hamas, and the deployment of an international security force.
It would also manage the further withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and coordinate the massive reconstruction of the devastated enclave. However, the US has reported little tangible progress on these fronts so far.
Accusations and a Stalled Process
The ceasefire has been marred by mutual accusations of violations. Gaza health officials claim continued Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 Palestinians since the truce began. A Hamas official told Reuters the group had recorded over 1,100 Israeli violations, including killings, aerial strikes, and detentions, since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October.
Israel maintains that any military actions since the ceasefire began have been responses to violations by Hamas. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas labelled the situation "extremely severe," noting that Hamas continues to refuse to disarm—a key condition of the peace plan. Israel has vowed to resume full-scale military operations if Hamas does not disarm peacefully.
An official close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the country will not advance to the next phase of the ceasefire until the body of the final hostage is returned. The war began with Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw 251 others taken hostage.
According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians. The ministry's figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
