Israeli attack in Gaza leaves 23 dead, including six children

At least 23 Palestinians, including six children, were killed in Israeli tank shelling and air strikes across the besieged Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to Palestinian health officials. The casualties were reported from multiple locations in both southern and northern Gaza, underscoring the continuing volatility despite an announced ceasefire framework and ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilise the situation.

Health authorities said that one of the dead was a medical worker in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, who had rushed to assist the wounded following an initial strike. As emergency responders reached the scene, a second attack reportedly hit the same area, killing the doctor and injuring others. Such “double-tap” strikes, where a second assault follows an initial attack, have drawn repeated criticism from humanitarian organisations, which argue that they place first responders and civilians at grave risk.

In northern Gaza City, officials confirmed the death of a five-month-old baby during shelling, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the violence on children and other vulnerable groups. Hospitals across the enclave, already strained by shortages of medicine, fuel and staff, struggled to cope with the influx of casualties, health officials said.

A grieving relative, Abu Mohammed Haboush, described the moment his family’s home was hit. “We were asleep inside our house when the tank fired,” he said. “The shell landed directly on our home. Our children were martyred—my son, my brother’s son and daughter. We are not involved with anything. We are peaceful people.” His account echoes many civilian testimonies from Gaza, where densely populated neighbourhoods leave little room for escape during heavy bombardment.

The Israeli military said the strikes were a response to gunfire by Hamas fighters, who it accused of violating the ceasefire by targeting Israeli troops stationed near the security perimeter. According to the army, one Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in the incident that prompted the retaliation.

Hamas, in a statement, rejected Israel’s justification and said the attacks were undermining international efforts to stabilise the ceasefire. The group called for immediate and sustained international pressure to halt the violence and protect civilians.

In January, US President Donald Trump announced the launch of a second phase of the ceasefire process, intended to address Gaza’s future governance and reconstruction. However, key issues remain unresolved, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from more than half of Gaza’s territory and the question of Hamas’s disarmament. These sticking points have fuelled uncertainty and sporadic clashes, even as diplomatic talks continue.

Since the ceasefire came into effect, Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 530 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, the majority of them civilians. Over the same period, Palestinian militant attacks have killed four Israeli soldiers, according to Israeli sources.

Reported casualties since the ceasefire

As negotiations falter and violence continues, humanitarian agencies warn that without a durable political agreement and effective monitoring of the ceasefire, civilians—especially children—will remain the primary victims of an increasingly fragile truce.