Israeli forces killed at least 31 Palestinians in Gaza on Saturday as airstrikes and shelling continued across the besieged enclave, despite a Trump-brokered ceasefire.
The Ministry of Health said dozens of civilians were killed or wounded in new attacks by the Israeli army, while Hamas stated that Israel is deliberately undermining the ceasefire agreement and committing fresh massacres across the strip.
Hospital sources said Israeli fire killed 31 Palestinians outside Israeli deployment zones in Gaza City and Khan Younis, in central and southern Gaza, since dawn on Saturday. At least 24 of the victims were reported in Gaza City and northern areas of the enclave.
Al-Shifa Hospital said the death toll rose after Israel attacked a police headquarters in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City. Emergency and ambulance services also confirmed that two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on Al-Nasr neighborhood in western Gaza City.
Field reports showed that Israeli attacks focused on residential neighborhoods and areas sheltering displaced families. These areas included Al-Tuffah and Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City, as well as displacement camps and tents in Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis.
The latest strikes triggered large fires in displacement tents at “Ghaith” camp west of Khan Younis, according to Gaza Civil Defense. Rescue teams said the fires added a heavy burden as they responded to bombardment and widespread blazes at the same time.
Gaza’s Interior Ministry said the Israeli attack on Sheikh Radwan police headquarters showed clear disregard for the ceasefire and the international mediators backing it. The ministry said the strike killed five police officers and injured 15 others, in addition to civilians and displaced people who were near the site.
The ministry urged mediators to take responsibility and pressure Israel to stop its violations and spare civilians and civilian facilities from continued attacks.
Earlier on Saturday, hospital sources said Israeli fire killed 12 Palestinians, including six children, in Gaza City and Khan Younis.
In southern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on “Ghaith” displacement camp in Al-Mawasi killed seven members of one family after their tent was hit in a densely populated area for displaced civilians. The Civil Defense said several others were wounded in separate strikes that targeted tents sheltering displaced families.
Israeli artillery shelling in areas inside Israeli troop deployment zones in Al-Tuffah neighborhood, northeast of Gaza City. Ambulance services also said Israeli strikes hit a residential apartment in Gaza City, killing and injuring several Palestinians.
Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said most of Saturday’s victims were children. He said Israeli strikes do not distinguish between civilians and fighters and described the situation as a systematic humanitarian catastrophe. He added that Israeli forces used high-explosive missiles, causing widespread destruction and fires.
Palestinian Red Crescent spokesperson Raed Al-Nims said ambulance crews face unprecedented challenges as Israeli attacks continue to hit homes and displacement camps, while most medical facilities remain damaged. He called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its violations and allow medical teams to work without obstruction according to the Quds News Network.
Israeli Claims and Palestinian Response
The Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted the Israeli army as claiming that its air assaults in Gaza would continue, claiming it responds to alleged “serious incidents” that allegedly violated the ceasefire. The army claimed that it targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad commanders, weapons depots, and military infrastructure.
Hamas rejected the Israeli claims and said the continued targeting of displaced people’s tents marks a dangerous escalation and a deliberate collapse of the ceasefire. The resistance movement described the attacks as a new massacre and a blatant violation of the agreement.
Hamas said Israeli actions confirm the continuation of a war of destruction against Gaza and a disregard for mediation efforts. It called on guarantor states and the US administration to intervene and stop policies that undermine the ceasefire.
The movement also demanded an immediate transition to the second phase of the agreement, including opening the Rafah crossing in both directions and enabling the national committee to operate freely in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire took effect in October, Israeli forces have killed 524 Palestinians and wounded 1,360 others.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said continued Israeli bombardment places extreme pressure on Gaza’s collapsed health system. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also condemned repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire, warning they pose a direct threat to the political process.
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CrossFireArabia
