Israeli attacks kill eight in Gaza, including four-year-old boy
Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least eight people, including a four-year-old boy, according to hospitals and Gaza authorities, despite a ceasefire that began last October. The deaths highlight the continuing gap between the ceasefire agreement and conditions on the ground, as a US-brokered peace plan has stalled.
Hospital officials said a missile struck civilians near Cairo School in Gaza City, killing three, while Gaza’s interior ministry said a drone attack killed five police officers in Khan Younis. Israel’s military said it had attacked two people it described as military operatives but gave no further details or evidence. Gaza’s health ministry says 1,580 people have been killed since the ceasefire began; it reports 74,594 deaths since the war started in October 2023.
In short
- Gaza hospitals report eight killed in Israeli strikes, including a four-year-old.
- Five police officers died in a drone attack in Khan Younis.
- Gaza’s health ministry says 1,580 people have died since the ceasefire began.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Israel may argue that strikes against people it identifies as military operatives are necessary to prevent attacks and protect its civilians, even during a ceasefire. Supporters may also stress that the reported circumstances and identities of those targeted remain unclear, and that a ceasefire does not remove the need to address security threats.
The case against
Critics may argue that lethal strikes during a ceasefire, including reported deaths near a school and among police officers, undermine civilian protection and the agreement’s purpose. They may contend that Israel should provide evidence for its claims and use restraint, particularly given the reported toll since the ceasefire began.
Explained simply
Gaza is a small, densely populated Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean, where Israel and Hamas have fought repeatedly. The latest war began in October 2023, after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel and took hostages; Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has caused widespread destruction and a large loss of life.
A ceasefire took effect last October as part of a US-brokered plan intended to stop the fighting and guide further steps towards peace. Israel says some of its attacks target people it considers military operatives, while Gaza’s authorities and hospitals report deaths among civilians and security personnel.
The ceasefire has not ended all violence, and the wider plan has stalled. The gap between the agreement and conditions on the ground matters to people in Gaza and to efforts to secure a lasting end to the conflict.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Israeli strikes in Gaza kill eight including child, hospitals say”.