Israeli air strikes kill at least 32 Palestinians in Gaza, rescue officials say

At least 32 individuals have died due to a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, as reported by local authorities on Saturday.

The Hamas-operated civil defense agency indicated that among the casualties were children and women, with one airstrike targeting a tent housing displaced individuals in Khan Younis.

These strikes are described by Palestinians as the most severe since the recent phase of a ceasefire initiated by US President Trump in October, which took effect earlier this month.

The Israeli military justified the attacks as a response to what they termed a violation of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had identified suspected terrorists exiting underground infrastructure in Rafah, a zone where Israeli forces operate under the ceasefire agreement. The IDF, in conjunction with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), conducted strikes on various targets, including commanders, a weapons storage site, and two launch sites attributed to Hamas.

In retaliation, Hamas condemned the airstrikes, describing them as evidence of the Israeli government’s ongoing “brutal war of genocide” against the Gaza Strip, and called for urgent US intervention.

Among the victims were seven from a single displaced family in Khan Younis, with further reports indicating residential areas and shelters were also hit, resulting in multiple casualties, including three children and two women in Gaza City.

Footage from the region showed extensive destruction, with emergency responders pulling bodies from rubble. The airstrikes coincided with the impending reopening of the Rafah crossing to Egypt, following the recovery of an Israeli hostage.

Egypt’s foreign ministry responded by denouncing the attacks and urging restraint from all involved parties, while Qatar criticized the ongoing Israeli violations.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas reignited after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, claiming around 1,200 Israeli lives and leading to a military campaign in Gaza that has resulted in over 71,660 deaths, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.

Since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, 2025, the ministry reports at least 509 Palestinian casualties, alongside four Israeli soldier deaths, despite Israeli authorities disputing these figures.