Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill 6, Including 2 Children and Al Jazeera Cameraman

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals, including two young children and a cameraman for Al Jazeera, according to Palestinian health officials. These attacks have continued with near-daily frequency despite a ceasefire agreement established in October between Israel and Hamas.

The first strike targeted an apartment in Gaza City around 2 a.m., leaving behind rubble and blood-stained concrete, as witnessed by an Associated Press reporter. Among the victims were 4-year-old Zina and 14-year-old Lana, whose bodies were taken to Shifa Hospital. Their cousin, Mohammad Safadi, who sustained a head wound and whose wife was also injured, expressed his anguish: "I was sitting at home. The rocket fell on us without a warning."

Safadi questioned the validity of the ceasefire, stating, "This ceasefire the occupation and the negotiation team speak of … is this really a ceasefire? We are civilians. I never held a weapon." The Israeli military confirmed it was looking into the incident.

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I was sitting at home. The rocket fell on us without a warning.

Later on Saturday evening, three separate Israeli strikes claimed four more lives and injured at least a dozen others. One strike hit a house in the Bureij refugee camp, killing three people, including Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah. His brother, Mohamed, also an Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed in an Israeli strike in April. Another strike in the Muwasi camp wounded eight people, killing one, while a third in Gaza City injured at least four.

Israel maintains that its operations target Hamas and other militants. Since the truce began, five Israeli soldiers have been killed. The conflict, which began with Hamas-led militants attacking southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, has led to a significant Palestinian death toll. Gaza's Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, reports that 73,018 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including those since the ceasefire. The ministry's records are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. While the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants, it states that women and children constitute approximately half of all fatalities.

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This ceasefire the occupation and the negotiation team speak of … is this really a ceasefire? We are civilians. I never held a weapon.