Israeli Airstrikes Kill 9 in Gaza, Including Tent Camp for Displaced Families

At least nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across northern and southern Gaza on Sunday, Palestinian civil defense and health officials reported. Among the casualties were four people killed in a strike on a tent encampment housing displaced families, while another five were killed in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The Israeli military stated that the strikes targeted Hamas militants in response to alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement. An Israeli official said, “In recent hours, the IDF has begun striking in response to Hamas’s blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement yesterday in the Beit Hanoun area.”

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the strikes were “precise” and in line with international law. The military added that Hamas had committed multiple violations of the October ceasefire, including moving armed fighters east of the demarcated “Yellow Line” separating Israeli- and Hamas-controlled areas.

“Crossing the yellow line while armed is an explicit ceasefire violation and demonstrates how Hamas systematically violates the agreement with intent to harm IDF troops,” the official said.

Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which is a key element of efforts to maintain a fragile calm in Gaza. The IDF said it continued to target underground tunnels in northern Gaza, claiming that several militants had been eliminated during operations near IDF positions.

The Gaza health ministry reported that at least 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began, while Israel said four of its soldiers were killed by militants in Gaza during the same period.