One of Gaza’s deadliest days in weeks as Israeli airstrikes kill dozens, including women and children

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed dozens, marking one of the deadliest days since the ceasefire, as violence escalates, civilians suffer, and global calls for diplomacy grow louder.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza Saturday killed dozens of Palestinians, medics and hospitals announced Saturday, some of the deadliest violence since last year’s ceasefire took hold.

Palestinian health officials and hospitals said at least 30 people were killed in strikes across Gaza City, Khan Younis and elsewhere. Deaths were reported among women and children, as well as entire families. Several people were killed inside a police station and at least one tunnel complex in southern Gaza.

Ceasefire Reached Between Israel, Hamas After 2 Years of War

A shaky ceasefire took effect last October following nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Since then, sporadic outbreaks of violence have occurred, but Saturday’s strikes represented a significant escalation.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health says more than 520 Palestinians have been killed since October 2025, many of them militants. At least four Israeli soldiers have been killed by Palestinian militant rocket fire since the ceasefire began.

Add India.com as a Preferred Source

Palestinians Killed as Israeli Military Strikes Targets After Tunnel Attack

In a statement Saturday, the Israeli military said its latest strikes were a response to a Palestinian militant attack on Israeli forces operating in the Rafah refugee camp. The military said several militants were killed and one “high value target” was captured after they attempted to attack Israeli forces from a tunnel.

Palestinian militant group Hamas denied involvement in the tunnel attack. In a statement Saturday, the group said it “was not behind and did not announce any breach” of the ceasefire, calling Israel’s response “unjustified.”

Israel’s military has conducted airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza multiple times since the ceasefire began, killing dozens of Palestinians.

Palestinians In Gaza ‘Still Living Among Rubble’

Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz has defended the strikes as necessary, saying they are targeted and proportional. Speaking Saturday he said Israel was “in a race against time to dismantle” militant capabilities.

More than half of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are living among the rubble of their former homes. Hospitals are overwhelmed, health facilities have been damaged and international aid groups have struggled to access parts of the territory.

Egypt on Saturday announced the Rafah border crossing would partially reopen to allow patients in need of urgent medical care to leave Gaza and for humanitarian aid to enter, the Associated Press reported. Officials said 200 people would be allowed through per day.

“The situation on the ground remains dire, with many civilians unable to access the basic necessities of life,” Doctors Without Borders said Saturday. The group also warned that wounded people were dying because they couldn’t reach hospitals in time.

The UN has asked Israel to allow greater humanitarian access to Gaza, but restrictions remain.

After Gaza Ceasefire, World Leaders Urge Diplomacy

The escalation comes as world leaders have urged renewed diplomacy after several failed rounds of talks last year. Germany’s foreign minister traveled to the region this week for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

“We must continue our diplomatic efforts so that we finally reach a lasting political solution to prevent further bloodshed,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock tweeted Friday.