At least thirty-two Palestinians were killed in widespread Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, local authorities reported. The civil defense agency, which operates under Hamas administration, confirmed that women and children were among the fatalities, citing attacks on residential buildings and temporary shelters in Khan Younis.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed conducting multiple strikes, stating they were a direct response to what it described as a Hamas violation of the existing agreement on Friday. The IDF specified striking eight alleged terrorists exiting underground infrastructure in eastern Rafah, alongside four commanders and a weapons storage facility in central Gaza.
Palestinian accounts suggest these operations constituted the heaviest bombardment since the second phase of the ceasefire, brokered earlier this year, commenced. Hamas strongly condemned the military action, characterizing the events as a continuation of a "brutal war of genocide" and calling for immediate intervention from the United States.
Diplomatic pressure mounted as Egypt's foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the strikes and urging all involved parties to exercise maximum restraint. Qatar, a key mediator in previous negotiations, also denounced what it termed repeated Israeli violations of the established truce terms.
The conflict began following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since Israel’s subsequent military campaign, the Hamas-run health ministry claims over 71,660 Palestinians have been killed, a figure senior Israeli security sources reportedly accepted as exceeding 70,000.
The timing of the strikes is notable as the Rafah crossing, crucial for humanitarian access bordering Egypt, was scheduled to reopen on Sunday following the recovery of Israel's last known hostage earlier in the week.
Phase two of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal reportedly involves establishing a technocratic Palestinian government and undertaking the reconstruction and demilitarization of Gaza, including Hamas disarmament. The current hostilities threaten the fragile progress toward these long-term political objectives.
The international community remains divided on accountability for the truce breaches, yet the immediate result is a significant and deadly intensification of military activity across the densely populated territory.
