DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes and shelling across the Gaza Strip killed at least four Palestinians on Sunday, including a 13-year-old girl, according to local health officials and medical authorities. The latest casualties highlight the continuing instability despite a fragile ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said an Israeli strike targeted a group of people in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, killing two people and wounding another. Separately, health officials at Nasser Hospital reported that another Israeli strike in southern Gaza killed one man.
Hospital officials also said 13-year-old Eileen al-Farra died after being struck by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the reported strikes. It said one of the attacks targeted what it described as a “Hamas terrorist” but did not provide additional details or evidence supporting the claim.
Independent verification of the circumstances surrounding the reported strikes was not immediately available.
Ceasefire Continues to Face Challenges
Residents in Gaza reported heavy Israeli tank shelling in several areas on Sunday, along with quadcopter drones operating overhead, according to the Associated Press.
Although the most intense phase of the fighting has eased since the ceasefire agreement took effect in October, Palestinians continue to report casualties on an almost daily basis.
Israel has said its military operations target Hamas and other militants it considers security threats and are carried out in response to alleged violations of the ceasefire.
Casualty Figures Remain a Point of Focus
The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-led government, said more than 1,040 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began.
The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that United Nations agencies and independent experts generally regard as reliable, although it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It has said that women and children account for about half of those reported killed.
Israeli authorities have said five Israeli soldiers have died since the ceasefire took effect.
Conflict Continues Despite Truce
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Since then, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,050 Palestinians, including those reported since the ceasefire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The ceasefire remains in effect, but continued reports of casualties and military activity indicate that conditions on the ground remain volatile, with uncertainty over whether the agreement can prevent further escalation.
Tags: Gaza, Israel, Hamas, Ceasefire, Israeli Military, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Nasser Hospital, Gaza Health Ministry, Middle East Conflict, Civilian Casualties, Regional Security, International Humanitarian Law
