Hospital officials in Gaza have reported that Israeli military strikes on Saturday morning resulted in the deaths of at least twelve Palestinians, including six children and two women from two separate families. This incident represents one of the most lethal days in the region since a ceasefire agreement was established in October last year.
Details of the Fatal Strikes
According to medical authorities at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, a strike claimed the lives of a mother, three of her children, and one relative. Simultaneously, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported that a strike on a tent camp ignited a fire, killing seven individuals, including a father, his three children, and three grandchildren.
Escalating Tensions and Ceasefire Breaches
The Gaza health ministry, which operates under the Hamas-led administration, has documented over five hundred Palestinian fatalities due to Israeli attacks since the ceasefire commenced on 10 October. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the truce, which followed two years of devastating conflict that has left Gaza in ruins and precipitated a severe humanitarian disaster.
Israeli military representatives have not provided an immediate response to inquiries regarding these latest strikes. This attack follows a similar incident on 21 January, where eleven Palestinians, including two thirteen-year-old boys and three journalists, were killed in assaults across Gaza, as confirmed by hospital officials.
Rafah Crossing Reopening Amidst Crisis
The strikes occurred just one day before the scheduled reopening of the Rafah crossing, the primary entry and exit point for nearly all of Gaza's two million residents. All borders have been sealed since the war began, though Rafah was briefly opened in early 2025 to evacuate sick and wounded Palestinians for medical treatment as part of the previous ceasefire agreement.
Palestinians view the Rafah crossing as a critical lifeline for those requiring medical care, given that most healthcare infrastructure within Gaza has been destroyed. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly twenty thousand people may need treatment.
Conditions for Reopening and Hostage Situation
Israel has maintained the closure of the Rafah crossing in both directions since the October ceasefire, insisting that Hamas must comply with the agreement to return all remaining hostages, both living and deceased. The remains of the last Israeli hostage, twenty-four-year-old Ran Gvili, were recovered approximately a week ago; he was killed during the October 7 attacks in 2023 before his body was taken to Gaza.
Israeli officials have stated that the limited reopening on Sunday aligns with US President Donald Trump's twenty-point peace plan. Sky News understands that Israel will not impose a limit on the number of people allowed to leave Gaza via the crossing but will cap the number permitted to return from Egypt to Gaza at one hundred and fifty per day.
Palestinian authorities suggest that around one hundred thousand people have fled Gaza since the conflict began, highlighting the ongoing displacement and urgency of the humanitarian situation.
