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Israel strikes Gaza, killing 19, mostly women and children, after saying Hamas violated deal

A fragile, U.S.-backed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip appeared on the verge of collapse Wednesday after Israeli military strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the operations were a response to a militant attack that seriously wounded an Israeli soldier, which it called a violation of the truce agreement by Hamas.

The fresh wave of violence further destabilizes a ceasefire that has been in effect since October 10, 2025. This period, intended to de-escalate the conflict, has instead been marked by continued bloodshed. The escalating death toll and breakdown in trust threaten to unravel the diplomatic efforts led by regional mediators and backed by Washington, pushing the war-torn enclave back toward full-scale conflict.

The Immediate Aftermath

Israeli airstrikes and tank shelling were reported across the Gaza Strip by midday Wednesday. Hospital officials confirmed a rising death toll that underscores the severe risk to civilians, even in designated safe zones.

• Total Casualties: At least 19 Palestinians were killed in the strikes, with dozens more wounded.
• Civilian Deaths: Among the 19 confirmed fatalities were seven women and five children, including a 5-month-old infant and a 10-day-old baby, according to hospital records.
• Humanitarian Worker Killed: A paramedic for the Palestinian Red Crescent, Hussein Hassan Hussein al-Semieri, was killed while on duty during a strike on a tent in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis.

Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Gaza City's Shifa Hospital, expressed a sentiment of abandonment felt by many in the strip. "The genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip continues," he wrote in a public statement. "Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?"

Dueling Narratives on a Broken Truce

The core of the escalation lies in conflicting interpretations of the ceasefire agreement. Both sides accuse the other of violating its terms, creating a cycle of retaliation that has rendered the truce ineffective for civilians on the ground.

• Israel's Position: An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Associated Press that strikes would continue. The IDF maintains its actions are defensive and targeted, responding directly to Hamas violations. The military specified that Wednesday's major strike on the Tuffah neighborhood was "return fire" after militants shot at troops from a building, severely wounding a reservist.
• Hamas's Position: Hamas has called the Israeli strikes a flagrant and repeated violation of the deal. The group, along with international mediators, has condemned the attacks, particularly those resulting in high civilian casualties.
• Mediators' Stance: International mediators involved in brokering the initial agreement have condemned the ongoing attacks from both sides, warning that the entire framework is at risk.

A Ceasefire in Name Only

The U.S.-backed ceasefire that began on October 10 was designed to halt a devastating war and allow for humanitarian aid and negotiations. However, data from the period reveals a consistent pattern of deadly violence.

• Palestinian Toll Since Truce: The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 530 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire came into effect.
• Israeli Toll Since Truce: The Israeli military has reported the deaths of four soldiers in the same period.

This persistent violence has prevented any meaningful recovery or reconstruction. For Palestinians in Gaza, the daily reality of airstrikes, tank shelling, and displacement has created a widespread feeling that the war never truly ended.

A Closer Look at Wednesday's Strikes

The casualties on Wednesday were spread across several locations in the Gaza Strip, from the north to the south.

• Tuffah, North Gaza: An Israeli strike on a residential building killed at least 11 people, most belonging to a single family. Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies, confirmed the dead included a husband and wife, their 10-day-old daughter, her 5-month-old cousin, and their grandmother.
• Khan Younis, South Gaza: An Israeli strike on a family's tent in the southern city killed three people, including a 12-year-old boy, according to Nasser hospital. Another strike on a tent in the Muwasi humanitarian area killed two, including the on-duty paramedic.
• Zaytoun, Gaza City: Tank shelling in the eastern neighborhood killed another three Palestinians, including a husband and wife, according to Shifa Hospital.

The Broader Context and Human Toll

The latest deaths add to a staggering figure from the broader conflict. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, reports that over 71,800 Palestinians have been killed since the war began.

The ministry's casualty records, which do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, are widely considered reliable by United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations, and independent experts who have previously audited their data. The continued destruction and instability have also crippled Gaza's economy, exacerbating a profound humanitarian crisis with no clear path to recovery as long as the violence persists.

Implications and What Comes Next

Wednesday's events have pushed the fragile ceasefire to its breaking point, with significant implications for regional stability.

• Risk of Full-Scale Conflict: With Israel vowing to continue strikes in response to perceived provocations and Hamas condemning the actions as violations, the likelihood of a return to all-out war has increased dramatically.
• Pressure on Mediators: The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, who have mediated the talks, face immense pressure to salvage the agreement. However, their influence appears to be waning amid the entrenched positions on both sides.
• Humanitarian Crisis Deepens: For the over two million residents of Gaza, the failure of the ceasefire means a continuation of displacement, a lack of access to essential resources, and the constant threat of violence. The inability to ensure safety, even for paramedics and infants, signals a catastrophic failure of the de-escalation framework.

The international community is now watching to see if diplomatic channels can pull the situation back from the brink, or if the events of Wednesday are the final prelude to the formal collapse of the truce.