At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry. The attacks included a deadly hit on a ministry of religious endowments building in Gaza City, which killed ten individuals, among them a woman and a young girl.
The Israeli military claimed the strikes were aimed at 'Hamas terrorist targets' in response to gunfire from militants in Khan Younis, which it stated violated an existing ceasefire agreement.
These military actions marked an escalation of violence following a brief period of relative calm, occurring just after the UN Security Council endorsed US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan intended to mitigate the ongoing conflict.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defence agency, mentioned that Israeli air, drone, and artillery strikes hit multiple locations shortly after sunset, leading to substantial damage and casualties. A video released by the agency showed rescue efforts to find individuals trapped under rubble, with reports of young children among the deceased.
The violence follows a hard-earned ceasefire that was left vulnerable by the ongoing tensions, prompting hopes for stability amid a fragile peace process. With more than 69,500 fatalities recorded since the intensified conflict began in October, including 280 deaths during the ceasefire, the situation remains dire for those in the region.
As a backdrop to this tragedy, international officials stress the importance of disarmament in establishing a lasting peace, while Hamas maintains its stance against laying down arms without assurances for Palestinian statehood.
The Israeli military claimed the strikes were aimed at 'Hamas terrorist targets' in response to gunfire from militants in Khan Younis, which it stated violated an existing ceasefire agreement.
These military actions marked an escalation of violence following a brief period of relative calm, occurring just after the UN Security Council endorsed US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan intended to mitigate the ongoing conflict.
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defence agency, mentioned that Israeli air, drone, and artillery strikes hit multiple locations shortly after sunset, leading to substantial damage and casualties. A video released by the agency showed rescue efforts to find individuals trapped under rubble, with reports of young children among the deceased.
The violence follows a hard-earned ceasefire that was left vulnerable by the ongoing tensions, prompting hopes for stability amid a fragile peace process. With more than 69,500 fatalities recorded since the intensified conflict began in October, including 280 deaths during the ceasefire, the situation remains dire for those in the region.
As a backdrop to this tragedy, international officials stress the importance of disarmament in establishing a lasting peace, while Hamas maintains its stance against laying down arms without assurances for Palestinian statehood.
