Israel Launches Over 20 Airstrikes on Gaza, Killing 15 Including Journalist and Threatening Fragile Ceasefire
Gaza (QNN)- Israeli warplanes launched more than 20 airstrikes on several areas across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing at least 15 civilians, including a journalist, as Israeli violence flared despite the ongoing ceasefire.
The Israeli army had claimed that Hamas violated the truce. Resistance factions rejected the claim, saying Israel continues to break the agreement and invent excuses for escalation.
Air and artillery strikes hit Rafah and Khan Younis in the south, al-Zawaida and al-Nuseirat in central Gaza, and Jabalia in the north. Israeli media said the assault followed an alleged attack by Palestinian fighters on military vehicles in Rafah.
Hospitals in Gaza reported rising casualties. According to Shuhada’a Al Aqsa Hospital, two people were killed, one of them a journalist, in a strike that hit a building housing journalists in al-Zawaida. Six others also died in the same area.
At Al-Awda Hospital, doctors confirmed three deaths and several injuries after Israeli missiles hit Al-Nuseirat Camp. Two more Palestinians were killed near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, medical sources said.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israel has killed more than 50 Palestinians and wounded over 150.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who remains wanted by the International Criminal Court, ordered a “strong response” against what he called “violations by Hamas.”
Following the alleged Rafah incident, Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting and instructed the army to strike “specific targets” across Gaza, his office said.
Israel also imposed a media gag order banning local outlets from publishing details about the alleged Rafah incident.
Israeli defense Minister Israel Katz threatened that “Hamas will pay a heavy price” and threatened to escalate the attacks further if the resistance group “does not get the message.”
Israel’s national broadcaster reported that the army struck 20 targets across Gaza in one day following the alleged attack in Rafah.
US Involvement
According to Axios, Israel did not seek prior approval from Washington for the new airstrikes but informed the US Central Command overseeing the ceasefire mechanism.
A US official told the outlet that Washington urged Israel to respond proportionally and exercise restraint.
Another American official told Al Jazeera that President Donald Trump’s administration is engaging with regional mediators to prevent further escalation and protect the truce.
Hamas: Israel Breaking the Deal
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, denied Israel’s claims.
“We confirm our full commitment to the ceasefire agreement in all areas of the Gaza Strip,” the resistance group said on Telegram.
It explained that its fighters have had no contact with the southern Rafah area, describing it as a “red zone” controlled by Israeli forces since the war resumed in March.
“We have no information about our members there or whether they are alive or martyred,” the statement added.
Hamas also released a detailed report documenting Israeli violations of the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement from day one.
The movement held Israel fully responsible for the breakdown of the ceasefire and called on international mediators to intervene immediately to stop the aggression and ensure the truce’s implementation.
