Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 12, including tent camp
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 12, including tent camp
Tensions flare as Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, killing 12 including civilians in a displaced-tent encampment and others in Khan Younis, despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
Gaza saw a wave of deadly airstrikes that killed at least 12 people since dawn, including civilians sheltering in a tent encampment for displaced families and several in Khan Younis in the south. One strike also hit the northern part of Gaza, and another attack targeted what was thought to be a commander of an armed group in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. The violence unfolded even as a US-brokered truce entered its second phase, underscoring how fragile calm remains in a conflict that has persisted for years.
Hamas officials condemned the strikes as a mass killing of civilians and a serious breach of the ceasefire, while an Israeli military official described Sunday’s actions as precise and in line with international law, arguing that the Palestinian militant group had repeatedly violated the ceasefire after it began in October last year. The competing narratives illustrate how difficult it is to separate battlefield actions from civilian harm in densely-populated Gaza.
Casualty figures from Gaza’s civil defence agency and health authorities highlighted the steep human toll of the latest round of fighting. In addition to the tent encampment deaths and the Khan Younis fatalities, health officials reported a separate fatality in the north, compounding the grief of families who have already faced forced displacement. The broader toll of the conflict has been immense for more than a year, with thousands killed and many more displaced as the fighting continues to erupt despite diplomatic efforts.
Observers emphasize that the current phase of the conflict tests the durability of the ceasefire framework meant to curb violence and allow humanitarian aid. International discussions, including discussions around Trump’s Board of Peace, have sought to shape an eventual political path, but on the ground, civilians bear the brunt of every flare-up. As night falls, residents of Gaza brace for potential further strikes, hoping for a pause that can hold and for pathways to safety and relief for those who have already lost so much.
