Local authorities in the Gaza Strip reported that multiple Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday have killed at least 32 people. The civil defense unit, managed by Hamas, said the casualties include women and children. In one attack, an armed helicopter fired on a displaced persons' tent in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza.
The civil defense managed by Hamas said one of the most intense strikes occurred in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, where Israeli attack helicopters bombed a displaced persons' tent, killing all seven members of one family. Meanwhile, in Gaza City, Al-Shifa Hospital confirmed the deaths of three children and two women from the bombing of a residential apartment.
Video footage from various locations in Gaza showed bodies being pulled from rubble and numerous buildings destroyed. A relative of one victim told Reuters with sorrow, “We found three little nieces lying dead in the street. They talked about a ceasefire, but look at what happened. What did these children do wrong?”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement acknowledging the attacks, saying they were conducted in retaliation for Hamas violating the ceasefire agreement on Friday. They identified "eight terrorists" exiting a tunnel in eastern Rafah. Additionally, together with the Israeli Security Agency (ISA), they targeted key Hamas assets including four senior commanders, weapons stockpiles and manufacturing sites, and two missile launch bases in central Gaza.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attacks and called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint. Similarly, Qatar condemned Israel's repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, Hamas urged the United States, under President Donald Trump's administration, to take immediate action to halt what they described as a "genocidal war."
The conflict began on 7 October 2023 and has so far resulted in over 71,660 deaths in Gaza. This figure is acknowledged as plausible by the Israeli military and is considered credible by the United Nations and human rights organizations, despite Israel not allowing independent media access to the area.
Since the ceasefire agreement started on 10 October 2025, at least 509 Palestinians have died, along with four Israeli soldiers.
The latest airstrikes occurred just days before the scheduled reopening of the Rafah crossing today (1 Feb) and amid critical developments in the "second phase of the ceasefire agreement," recently announced by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The plan aims to establish a technocratic government in Gaza and disarm all armed groups to enable full reconstruction of the city.
/BBC