At least 12 Palestinians, including two children and a pregnant woman, were killed Sunday by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, according to hospital authorities.
A strike Sunday morning hit a house in the urban refugee camp of Nuseirat in central Gaza, killing four people: a couple in their 30s, their 10-year-old son, and a 15-year-old neighbor. The pregnant woman was carrying twins, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.
Another strike Sunday afternoon hit a police vehicle on the Salah al-Din route at the entrance of Zawaida, killing eight police officers including Col. Iyad Ab Yousef, a senior police official in central Gaza, the Hamas-run Interior Ministry said. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed 14 others were wounded.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on either strike.
What the Right Is Saying
Israeli officials say forces have targeted Hamas security infrastructure in response to ceasefire violations. The Israeli military maintains it acts only when necessary to address threats from armed militants.
Conservative commentators note that Hamas police forces have reasserted control in areas not under Israeli military control since the ceasefire. They argue that targeting these forces is legitimate under the ceasefire terms, which allow Israel to respond to violations.
Some foreign policy analysts say Israel's right to self-defense extends to targeting Hamas security infrastructure that could be used to plan attacks on Israeli forces or civilians. They note that four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
What the Left Is Saying
Humanitarian organizations and progressive advocates say the strikes demonstrate that Israel's ceasefire violations continue to cause civilian casualties. The deaths include women and children, despite international calls for restraint.
Progressive foreign policy analysts note that about half of the more than 650 Palestinians killed since the October ceasefire have been women and children, according to Gaza health officials. They argue this contradicts Israel's stated goal of targeting only militants.
Human rights groups have called for independent investigations into the strikes, arguing that civilian casualties in populated areas raise questions about proportionality under international humanitarian law.
What the Numbers Show
The 12 deaths Sunday bring the total Palestinian casualties since the October ceasefire to over 650, according to Gaza health officials. The overall war death toll exceeds 72,200 Palestinians, the Hamas-led Health Ministry says.
The total includes more than 1,200 Israelis killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war. Approximately 250 people were taken hostage.
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began. The Rafah crossing with Egypt will reopen Wednesday after a two-week hiatus, with limited passenger traffic but no cargo, according to COGAT.
The Bottom Line
The latest strikes highlight the fragility of the October ceasefire, which has seen almost daily Israeli fire despite its goal of halting hostilities. The deaths include civilians and police officers in two separate incidents.
Israel says it responds to ceasefire violations and targets wanted militants. Critics say the civilian toll raises questions about whether Israeli operations meet international legal standards for proportionality.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing Wednesday marks a tentative step toward normalizing movement in and out of Gaza, though humanitarian organizations say more than 20,000 Palestinians still require medical evacuations outside the strip. The international community will watch whether the ceasefire holds or collapses in the weeks ahead.