Israeli Strikes Kill 30 in Gaza Amid Fragile Ceasefire

Israeli strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians across Gaza on Saturday, including several children and women. Hospitals received the bodies after attacks on homes, tents, and a police station. Israel said the strikes responded to Hamas violations of the ceasefire that started in October.

Background

The ceasefire began on October 10, 2025, under a US peace plan pushed by then-President Donald Trump. It ended two years of full war that started with Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Those attacks killed about 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and led to 251 hostages taken. The war caused massive destruction in Gaza. Since the ceasefire, fighting has not stopped. Gaza health officials report more than 520 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire, an average of over four deaths a day. About 1,400 others have been wounded. Three Israeli soldiers have died in the same time.

Israel calls the area a frozen conflict. The Israel Defense Forces patrol a dividing line, often called the yellow line. They fire on people they see as threats trying to cross it. Palestinians say many shot were women, children, or teens just looking for food or aid. Hamas reports Israeli ground raids, shootings, and building demolitions in areas they control. Israel responds now and then to Hamas moves inside Gaza. The strip is mostly destroyed. Aid groups say most medical centers are gone or damaged. Border crossings stayed closed for most of the war. Rafah, the crossing to Egypt, reopened recently. It gives hope to tens of thousands needing care outside Gaza.

Key Details

The strikes hit Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and other spots. Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis got three bodies from tents and homes hit in the south. Gaza civil defense said a fire started in a tent camp, killing seven: a father, his three children, and three grandchildren.

Strikes in Gaza City

Shifa Hospital took six more bodies from Gaza City. One strike hit an apartment building, killing three children, their aunt, and grandmother. A relative found them in the street after they slept through the blast. Another strike targeted a police station in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. It killed at least 14, including four policewomen, civilians, and inmates. The hospital director said the toll was high there.

Atallah Abu Hadaiyed had just prayed when the tent strike happened.

“We came running and found my cousins lying here and there, with fire raging. We don’t know if we’re at war or at peace, or what. Where is the truce? Where is the ceasefire they talked about?” – Atallah Abu Hadaiyed, survivor in Khan Yunis

Israel said troops faced gunfire near the yellow line. An officer was seriously hurt. They called it a ceasefire breach. In response, they hit what they said were Hamas sites: a weapons warehouse, an arms-making spot, and two rocket launch pads in central Gaza. They also struck after spotting militants from a tunnel in Rafah the day before. One was a Hamas commander arrested. Others were killed.

Gaza officials put the day's toll at 30 or more, one of the highest since the ceasefire. Hamas called it a big violation and asked the US and others to make Israel stop. Independent checks are hard. Media face limits, and access to Gaza is tight.

What This Means

The strikes show the ceasefire is shaky. Both sides point fingers. Israel says it acts only when Hamas breaks rules, like firing or tunneling. Hamas says Israel raids and bombs without cause. Over four months, small clashes add up. More than 520 dead is far less than the war's daily 92, but it keeps fear high. Families live in tents or ruins. Food, water, and medicine are short. Rafah's opening helps some leave for treatment, but most crossings to Israel stay shut.

People in Gaza wonder about safety. Survivors like Abu Hadaiyed question if peace is real. Israel holds positions inside Gaza. Troops stay beyond the yellow line. Hamas holds parts but with less power. The US truce has phases. This is the second. Talks aim to end all fighting, free any left hostages, and rebuild. But daily deaths block progress. Gaza's health ministry tracks bodies. UN groups trust their counts. The latest push killed 30 in one day, way above average. It tests if the frozen conflict thaws or heats up.

Tensions spill over. On Wednesday, nine more died in strikes after another officer wounding. Civil defense said three were children. Strikes hit tents in Khan Yunis and homes in Gaza City. Israel hit back after shots near troops. Patterns repeat: small Hamas actions lead to big Israeli replies with high civilian tolls. Over 520 dead since October matches reports from hospitals like Shifa and Nasser. They list names on body bags, ages, and how they died.

Rebuilding waits. Most homes, schools, and hospitals are rubble. Aid trucks enter but not enough. Winter rains flood tents. Kids miss school. The war took over 45,000 lives by Gaza counts before ceasefire. Now, the slow drip of loss goes on. Families bury kin weekly. Israel recovered the last hostage's remains this week. That closes one chapter but not the fight.