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Israeli air strikes on Gaza City have killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens, according to local medical sources and eyewitnesses. The attacks, which struck several residential buildings in different parts of the city, came despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October. Israel said one of the strikes targeted a senior Hamas commander.

Coverage Comparison

Two separate reports, both from BBC correspondents on the ground, describe a series of Israeli strikes in the early hours of Thursday. One report, citing medical sources and eyewitnesses, said at least 11 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed when Israeli aircraft struck at least four residential buildings in the Sheikh Radwan and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods and Shati refugee camp. Another report, citing local medics and witnesses, said at least three Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured in a strike on a residential building in one of Gaza City's busiest market areas.

Both reports describe large explosions and panic among residents, with footage posted on social media showing people trying to escape a burning building in Shati camp. Witnesses told the BBC that three Israeli helicopters hovered briefly over Gaza City's coastline before launching simultaneous strikes on the buildings.

Key Claims

  • Death toll varies by report: The first report puts the death toll at at least 11, while the second says at least three were killed in a separate strike. Combined, these figures indicate at least 14 deaths, but the reports are not necessarily mutually exclusive; they cover different locations and times.
  • Targeting of Hamas commanders: Two different Hamas figures were named as targets. One report said a Hamas commander in northern Gaza, Hassan Labad, was killed along with his wife and three of their children. The second report quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office as saying the military had targeted Hamas's armed wing commander Mohammed Odeh. Neither Hamas nor Israel has commented on whether Odeh was killed.
  • Casualty details: A spokesman for the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said the dead in the first strike included two children with disabilities from the Labad family and three women.
  • Ceasefire context: More than 940 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect last October, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Another figure, from the Palestinian territory's health ministry, reports more than 800 deaths from Israeli strikes during the ceasefire. The discrepancy may reflect differences in reporting periods or methodology.
  • Background: The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Perspectives

Israeli perspective: Netanyahu's office described Odeh as "one of the architects" of the 7 October attacks and said he was "responsible for the murder, abduction, and wounding of many Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers." Israel has repeatedly said it will strike Hamas targets even during the ceasefire, accusing the group of rearming and rebuilding its forces.

Palestinian perspective: Local medical sources and witnesses describe the strikes as causing significant civilian casualties, including women and children. The Hamas-run health ministry says the death toll during the ceasefire exceeds 940, and the Civil Defence agency details the deaths of children with disabilities, emphasizing the humanitarian cost.

International observers: The reports note that the world's attention is focused on conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East, and the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with a worsening humanitarian crisis and reported plans by Israel to increase the area of land under its control to 70%.