24 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza

On Saturday, the Israeli army launched airstrikes against Hamas elements in the Gaza Strip, marking the latest test of the ceasefire that began on October 10. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that five senior Hamas leaders were killed. Health officials in Gaza reported that at least 24 people were killed and 54 others were injured, including children.

The Israeli airstrikes, which Israel claimed were in response to gunfire targeting its forces, came at a time when international momentum regarding Gaza is increasing, as the United Nations Security Council approved the U.S. plan to secure and manage the territory last Monday. The plan calls for the establishment of an international stabilization force to provide security and the approval of a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, envisioning a potential path toward an independent Palestinian state in the future.

Israel had previously carried out similar waves of airstrikes after claiming its forces were attacked during the ceasefire. Health officials reported that at least 33 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday and Thursday, most of whom were women and children.

One of the airstrikes on Saturday targeted a vehicle, resulting in the deaths of 11 people and injuring more than 20 Palestinians in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, according to Rami Mahna, the administrative and financial director of Al-Shifa Hospital where the victims were taken. Hospital director Mohamed Abu Salmiya stated that most of the injured were children.

A video from the Associated Press showed children and others inspecting the charred vehicle with its roof blown off.

Another airstrike targeted a house near Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza, resulting in at least three deaths and 11 injuries, according to the hospital. An Israeli airstrike on a house in the Al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza resulted in at least seven deaths, including a child, and injured 16 others.

Another airstrike targeted a house in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of three people, including a woman, according to Al-Aqsa Hospital.

The Israeli army stated in a statement that it carried out attacks against Hamas after an armed individual crossed into an area under Israeli control and opened fire on troops in southern Gaza. It stated that no soldiers were harmed. The army added that the individual used a route through which humanitarian aid enters the area, describing it as a "flagrant violation" of the ceasefire.