Ceasefire Falters: At Least 23 Palestinians Killed in Renewed Gaza Strikes

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Gaza strip: At least 23 Palestinians were killed in a wave of Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest single days of violence since an October ceasefire agreement came into effect. Health officials in Gaza reported that the casualties included women and children, and that dozens more were wounded in shelling and air attacks on civilian neighbourhoods.

The strikes hit multiple areas, including Gaza City, Khan Younis and al-Mawasi, where homes and tent camps sheltering displaced families were struck. Witnesses described residential buildings being targeted without warning, while emergency workers struggled to reach the wounded amid ongoing bombardment.

Among those killed was a Palestinian medic who was reportedly responding to earlier strikes when a second attack hit the same location, underlining the extreme danger faced by first responders.

The violence comes just days after the main Rafah border crossing with Egypt was partially reopened to allow medical evacuations, a key part of the U.S.-backed truce. However, officials said that coordination for patient transfers was briefly paused amid the escalation, leaving many critically ill civilians waiting for permission to leave the enclave.

This latest bout of shelling and air assaults has further weakened a fragile truce that had been in place since October and was intended to halt months of intense fighting. While Israeli authorities have at times justified their actions as responses to security threats or incidents involving gunfire toward Israeli forces, Palestinian officials and rights groups argue that the attacks represent grave violations of the ceasefire and have caused disproportionate harm to civilians.

The Gaza Health Ministry has previously documented hundreds of alleged ceasefire breaches by Israeli forces, and international monitoring has noted that fatalities and injuries continue to mount despite diplomatic efforts to maintain calm.

The return of violence has renewed calls from humanitarian groups and foreign governments for both sides to uphold the truce and work to prevent further civilian suffering, especially as families in the besieged territory grapple with displacement, shortages of medical supplies and ongoing insecurity.