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Israeli Airstrikes Kill Four in Gaza Despite Ceasefire Agreement — AI-generated representative image. Displaced Palestinians survey damage at a tent encampment in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, following reported Israeli airstrike

Editorial Team

Strikes hit Khan Younis tent camp and Bureij refugee camp as Hamas holds truce talks in Cairo

At least four Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the latest breach of a ceasefire agreement that has been in place for nearly 10 months. Among the dead were an eight-year-old child, an 18-month-old baby, and a man riding a bicycle, according to health officials and local reports.

The attacks underscore the fragility of the truce and the continuing human toll in Gaza, where more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,000 injured since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025. The violence persists even as Hamas negotiators met with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo to discuss the stalled second phase of the agreement.

Thursday's Attacks Across the Strip

In the southern city of Khan Younis, an Israeli air strike targeted a tent encampment housing displaced people, killing a man and an eight-year-old child. The encampment sheltered families whose homes were destroyed during Israel's military campaign, which has rendered more than 1.2 million people homeless, nearly 60 percent of Gaza's population.

In central Gaza, an air strike on a house in the Bureij refugee camp killed an 18-month-old baby and wounded eight others. Meanwhile, in Gaza City, a Palestinian man on a bicycle was killed in a separate strike that left 10 additional people injured.

Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that hospitals across the territory received six bodies and 34 injured people in the preceding 24 hours. The six bodies included the four new fatalities, one person who succumbed to earlier injuries, and one recovered body.

A Ceasefire Undermined by Persistent Violence

The October 2025 ceasefire agreement was intended to halt hostilities that began on October 7, 2023. Since the truce came into effect, however, Israeli forces have continued to conduct operations across Gaza. The cumulative death toll since the war's onset has reached at least 73,341 Palestinians, with 174,086 wounded, according to health authorities.

The ceasefire deal also mandated that 600 trucks of humanitarian aid enter Gaza daily. Israeli authorities have continued to restrict the flow of essential supplies into the territory, a key point of contention in ongoing negotiations. The agreement's second phase remains unimplemented, with talks stalled over two central issues: Israel's failure to withdraw from Gaza and halt attacks, and Hamas's refusal to disarm in accordance with Israeli demands.

Witness Accounts and Diplomatic Developments

Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary described the aftermath of a Wednesday evening strike on a building in the Shati refugee camp as "terrifying." The building was surrounded by two makeshift tent camps, both of which sustained damage. Khoudary said approximately 35 families were left homeless after the explosions.

On the diplomatic front, a Hamas official told Reuters on Thursday that the group would deliver a "positive and good" response to mediators in Cairo, though no further details were provided. Reports indicate Hamas is seeking amendments to protect the rights of government employees under Palestinian law and has proposed that its weapons be managed by a Palestinian body rather than handed over to Israel.

What Happens Next

The Cairo talks involving mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye remain ongoing, with the second phase of the ceasefire still unresolved. No timeline has been announced for a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes continue across Gaza despite the truce, and humanitarian aid restrictions remain in place, leaving the civilian population in a state of sustained crisis.

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