Israel Strikes Kill Over 100 in Gaza as Ceasefire Wavers — The Bureau News Nigeria News Today
By Amanabo Ocholi | The Bureau News
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — At least 104 Palestinians, including 20 women and 46 children, were killed overnight in a wave of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, local health authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The strikes came just hours before Israel’s military announced that the ceasefire agreement was back in force, despite widespread devastation.
The overnight bombardment, described as the deadliest since the Oct. 10 ceasefire began, has raised fears that the fragile truce could collapse completely amid deepening mistrust between both sides.
Deadliest Night Since Ceasefire Began
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the attacks pounded several parts of Gaza, including Rafah, Khan Younis, and Deir al-Balah, killing entire families in their homes and tent camps sheltering displaced civilians. Another 253 people, mostly women and children, were injured.
Ambulances and trucks carrying bodies crowded the entrances of overwhelmed hospitals. In Deir al-Balah, witnesses said medical workers carried the wounded on stretchers while relatives searched frantically for missing loved ones.
“They burned children while they were asleep,” shouted Haneen Mteir, whose sister and nephews were killed in Khan Younis, as she wept outside Nasser Hospital’s morgue.
Israel Says Strikes Were Retaliation for Soldier’s Killing
Israel’s military said the airstrikes were a response to the shooting death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah, calling the operation “a necessary measure” against Hamas violations of the truce terms. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also accused the group of breaching the deal by failing to return the remains of Israeli hostages.
“The Israel Defense Forces acted against clear violations of the ceasefire,” the statement read, adding that Hamas was responsible for renewed escalation.
Hamas Denies Responsibility and Accuses Israel of Violating Deal
Hamas rejected Israel’s claims, insisting that its fighters were not involved in the shooting incident and accusing Israel of “a blatant violation of the ceasefire deal.” The group said it would delay handing over the body of another hostage in protest of the overnight bombardment.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued hostilities threaten aid deliveries and relief operations across Gaza, where hundreds of thousands remain displaced following months of conflict.
Hospitals Overwhelmed Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty
Medical workers say Gaza’s hospitals, already struggling with shortages of supplies and fuel, are nearing collapse. At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, doctors described scenes of chaos as victims poured in through the night.
Despite Israel’s announcement that the ceasefire has resumed, residents say airstrikes and explosions continued sporadically in southern and central Gaza into the morning hours, casting doubt on whether the truce can still hold.
The Bureau News notes that regional mediators are working behind the scenes to prevent a full breakdown of the agreement, amid growing international concern over civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
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