Gaza Herald — In a blatant breach of the recently announced ceasefire, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening, hitting the north, center, and south of the besieged enclave. The attacks left dozens of Palestinians killed and injured, according to Gaza Herald correspondents on the ground.
The new escalation comes despite the truce brokered under the “Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement,” meant to halt months of Israeli bombardment that have devastated Gaza and displaced hundreds of thousands.
According to field reports from Gaza Herald, at least 21 Palestinians were killed in the latest wave of Israeli strikes, including women and children. Residential buildings and a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City were directly hit, causing horrific scenes of destruction and chaos.
Local civil defense teams worked frantically to recover bodies and rescue survivors trapped under the rubble, as ambulances struggled to reach targeted areas amid ongoing air raids.
Earlier in the day, Israeli media had claimed that “unidentified militants” allegedly fired anti-tank missiles and sniper rounds at Israeli troops near Rafah, in southern Gaza. Within hours, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered what he called “a strong and immediate response,” authorizing extensive airstrikes throughout the Strip.
However, Hamas denied any involvement in the Rafah incident, calling Israel’s aggression a “clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire agreement” and warning that Tel Aviv is deliberately undermining the fragile truce to avoid its obligations, including the withdrawal of occupying forces and the entry of humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Washington insisted the ceasefire remains in effect, with a U.S. State Department spokesperson describing the situation as “stable.” The statement drew sharp criticism across Palestinian circles, where many viewed it as a political cover for Israel’s renewed assault.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as families fled targeted areas in the dark, carrying children and wounded relatives. One rescue worker said: “Every time they promise calm, Israel answers with bombs. How can there be a ceasefire when we’re still counting bodies?”
As night fell, smoke and flames rose once again over Gaza City, a haunting reminder that for Palestinians, “ceasefire” has come to mean little more than a pause between tragedies.
