Israeli strikes kill civilians in Gaza City and Khan Younis amid ongoing ceasefire

Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least eight people, including a child, hospital officials and Gaza authorities reported. The attacks occurred despite a year-old ceasefire that came into force in October last year.

In Gaza City, hospital officials said a missile hit a group of civilians next to Cairo School in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood, killing three people, including a child. In Khan Younis in the south, the Hamas-run ministry of interior reported that a drone attack targeted a group of police officers in the Al-Mawasi area, killing five officers as they carried out their routine duties.

The Israeli military said it carried out two attacks on what it described as military operatives but had not provided evidence or further information at the time of the reports. The interior ministry named the five police officers killed, who were between the ages of 23 and 53, and described the incident as a horrific massacre by Israeli forces.

Since the ceasefire began in October last year, Israeli air strikes have continued almost daily. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported that 1,580 people have been killed since the ceasefire, figures considered reliable by the UN. Israel says it is targeting Hamas, while civilians are often also killed, according to reporting.

The ceasefire previously saw thousands of Palestinians held by Israel released in return for all 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza and an agreement to end the war that began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. That attack resulted in about 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. Since the war began, Gaza’s health ministry reports 74,594 people have been killed in the territory.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The renewed strikes underscore the fragility of the ceasefire and the continuing risk to civilians across Gaza. Discrepancies between military statements and local health and interior ministry reports highlight ongoing challenges in verifying battlefield claims. The reported deaths, including a child and police officers, reflect both the humanitarian cost and the complexity of distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants in the area.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• At least eight people were reported killed in separate strikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis, including a child.
• The Gaza City strike reportedly hit civilians near Cairo School in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood.
• The Khan Younis attack reportedly targeted police officers in the Al-Mawasi area and killed five officers aged between 23 and 53.
• The Israeli military said it attacked individuals it described as military operatives but provided no further evidence in the reports.
• Since the ceasefire in October last year, Gaza’s health ministry reports 1,580 deaths attributed to continued air strikes, and 74,594 deaths since the war began.