GAZA — Despite the formal announcement of a ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued to violate the truce agreement in Gaza, carrying out repeated air and ground strikes that have killed hundreds of Palestinians. According to health authorities in Gaza, at least five more Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of fatalities since the start of the ceasefire to 226.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that at least 594 people have been wounded during this period as a result of ongoing Israeli attacks, artillery shelling, and sniper fire targeting various parts of the besieged enclave. Rescue teams operating in several neighborhoods also recovered 17 more bodies from the rubble of collapsed buildings, raising the total number of corpses retrieved since the beginning of the ceasefire to 499.
Arab media outlets, citing local health and civil defense sources, said that when these new casualties are added to the overall death toll from the war, the total number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli offensive has reached 68,858, while more than 170,664 have been injured. Officials warned that many of the dead remain buried under the debris of destroyed residential areas, as Israeli restrictions and the continued bombardment have made rescue operations extremely difficult.
Residents of Gaza say the so-called “ceasefire” has been largely meaningless, with Israeli drones and tanks maintaining heavy presence along several axes, including Khan Younis and northern Gaza. Sporadic artillery and aerial bombardments have continued, hitting areas that Israel claims are being used by armed groups, but which locals insist are civilian neighborhoods, schools, and refugee camps.
The Palestinian Health Ministry described the humanitarian situation as catastrophic. Hospitals, already crippled by months of siege, are unable to treat the influx of new casualties. Fuel shortages, destroyed infrastructure, and the lack of medical supplies have pushed the enclave’s health system to the verge of total collapse. Doctors say surgeries are being performed without anesthesia, and hundreds of injured people are awaiting evacuation or basic treatment that remains unavailable due to the Israeli blockade.
International humanitarian agencies have repeatedly called on Israel to respect the ceasefire terms and allow unimpeded entry of aid into Gaza. The United Nations and several aid organizations have warned that continued violations of the truce risk reigniting full-scale hostilities. UN officials have urged both sides to adhere to the agreement brokered through regional mediators, including Egypt and Qatar, emphasizing that “a fragile calm cannot hold if one party continues to use lethal force.”
In Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israeli officials have remained largely silent about the specific violations but have continued to claim that military operations are “targeted actions” against what they describe as “terror threats.” Palestinian leaders, however, accuse Israel of systematically undermining the ceasefire and using it as cover for ongoing operations intended to exert pressure on Gaza’s population.
The latest round of violations comes amid increasing global criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Human rights groups have documented widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and mosques. Many have called for independent investigations into potential war crimes and for accountability mechanisms to ensure justice for the victims.
