Israeli Strikes Kill 21 Palestinians in Gaza, Ceasefire Frays/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes killed 21 Palestinians, including women and children, in Gaza Wednesday after Israel accused Hamas of violating a ceasefire. The strikes have raised questions over the truce’s durability as civilian casualties grow. Gaza health officials report over 71,800 deaths since the war began.
Gaza Ceasefire Crisis Quick Looks
- Israel strikes Gaza, killing 21, including infants and a medic
- Military says response followed attack wounding Israeli soldier
- Ceasefire agreement repeatedly violated by both sides
- Gaza officials: 556 killed since October truce
- Khan Younis and Gaza City hardest hit by strikes
- Civilian funerals highlight mounting human toll
- Hamas has released all hostages under ceasefire
- Key ceasefire terms, including disarmament, remain incomplete
- Rafah border open but plagued by delays, detentions
- Over 71,800 killed in Gaza since war began
Deep Look: Israeli Strikes Kill 21 Palestinians in Gaza, Ceasefire Frays
A fragile ceasefire in Gaza appeared further eroded Wednesday after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 Palestinians, including five children, seven women, and an on-duty paramedic, according to hospital officials. The strikes came in response to what Israel said was a militant attack that seriously wounded one of its soldiers.
The early morning bombing targeted the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, leveling a residential building and killing 11 people—most from the same family. Among the dead were two infants: 10-day-old Wateen Khabbaz and her 5-month-old cousin Mira. Mourners gathered at Shifa Hospital for prayers as relatives questioned the logic of the violence. “What did this child do?” asked one grieving family member.
Later in the day, more airstrikes hit the southern city of Khan Younis. One strike killed three people, including a 12-year-old boy, and another targeted a tent in the Muwasi area, killing two and injuring five. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed that one of the dead was paramedic Hussein Hassan Hussein al-Semieri, who was actively working during the attack.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 38 Palestinians were wounded in Wednesday’s attacks. Since the ceasefire began on October 10, 2025, a total of 556 Palestinians have been killed and 1,500 injured in Israeli strikes, Gaza officials say. Israel claims its military actions are responses to Hamas violations of the ceasefire agreement, though many of the dead are civilians.
The initial war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise cross-border assault, killing 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping 251 people. Although heavy fighting has subsided since the truce, violence has persisted. Israeli officials insist that recent strikes target militants and come in direct retaliation for attacks on their forces.
Still, international concern is mounting. Eight Arab and Muslim countries, including mediators Egypt and Qatar, have publicly condemned what they called Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire. An Israeli official told the Associated Press that the latest strikes were retaliation for gunfire that left an Israeli reservist gravely wounded earlier in the day.
On the diplomatic front, parts of the ceasefire deal are progressing. Hamas has released all hostages it once held, and Israel has responded by freeing thousands of Palestinian detainees and reopening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. More humanitarian aid is now flowing into Gaza, and a technocratic committee has been appointed to manage daily affairs.
However, crucial components of the agreement remain stalled. No international peacekeeping force has yet been deployed, Hamas has not disarmed, and Gaza’s large-scale reconstruction has not begun. The U.S. has offered no timeline for when these key initiatives might move forward.
The Rafah border crossing, touted as a ceasefire success, has also faltered. Since Monday, the movement of people through the crossing has been slow and unpredictable. Only 40 Palestinians were able to cross on Tuesday, with some reporting being blindfolded, handcuffed, and interrogated by Israeli troops. The Israeli military has denied any reports of mistreatment or confiscation.
Amid all this, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens. The Gaza Health Ministry—part of the Hamas-led government—now reports more than 71,800 people killed since the conflict began. While the ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants, U.N. agencies and independent monitors have generally found its casualty figures credible.
The renewed violence raises fresh doubts about the sustainability of the current ceasefire. While both sides have taken steps toward de-escalation, the continued strikes and rising civilian death toll signal a deeply unstable peace. For many in Gaza, the distinction between war and truce has all but disappeared.
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