A. Rahman
Fresh violence rocked Gaza on February 4, 2026, when Israeli forces carried out strikes that left at least 24 Palestinians dead, including two babies and a paramedic on duty.
The military said the operations targeted militants who fired on troops, seriously wounding a reservist soldier near a demarcation line.
One devastating strike hit a building in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood, claiming 11 lives from the same family, among them 10-day-old Wateen Khabbaz and 5-month-old Mira Khabbaz, along with their parents and grandmother.
Mourners gathered at hospitals as bodies arrived, with relatives like Abu Mohammed Haboush grieving the loss of peaceful civilians.
In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, attacks struck tents in the Muwasi humanitarian zone and other sites, killing several more, including a 12-year-old boy and paramedic Hussein al-Samiri, who died while aiding victims of an initial blast.
Israel described one tent strike as precise against Hamas commander Bilal Abu Assi, expressing regret for civilian harm.
The incidents highlight ongoing strains on a ceasefire that began October 10, 2025, after more than two years of war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Since the truce, over 550 Palestinians have died in such events, half women and children, while four Israeli soldiers fell to militant actions.
At the Rafah crossing with Egypt, limited openings continued amid chaos: dozens of patients and relatives faced turnaways, with only small numbers crossing daily despite increased aid flows overall.
The Red Cross facilitated returns of Palestinian remains, underscoring persistent humanitarian challenges.
Eight Arab and Muslim nations condemned Israel’s actions as violations, while key truce elements like international forces and Hamas disarmament remain stalled.
Quick Summary
Israeli strikes killed 24 Palestinians, including babies and a paramedic, on February 4, 2026, in response to militant gunfire wounding a soldier, further straining a fragile ceasefire. Rafah crossing saw limited, delayed movements amid turnaways, with over 550 Palestinian deaths since the October 2025 truce.
