Israeli strikes kill 23 Palestinians as Gaza ceasefire inches ahead : NPR

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Abdel Kareem Hana/AP DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hospitals in Gaza mentioned Israeli strikes killed not less than 23 Palestinians Saturday, one of many highest tolls because the October ceasefire geared toward stopping the combating.

A day after Israel accused Hamas of recent ceasefire violations, strikes hit places all through Gaza, together with deadly ones on an condominium constructing in Gaza Metropolis and a tent camp in Khan Younis, officers at hospitals that acquired the our bodies mentioned. The casualties included two ladies and 6 youngsters from two totally different households. An airstrike additionally hit a police station in Gaza Metropolis, killing not less than 11 and wounding others, Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya mentioned.

The collection of strikes additionally got here a day earlier than the Rafah crossing alongside the border with Egypt is ready to open in Gaza's southernmost metropolis. The entire territory's border crossings have been closed all through virtually your entire battle. Palestinians see Rafah as a lifeline for the tens of 1000's in want of remedy outdoors the territory, the place the vast majority of medical infrastructure has been destroyed.

The crossing's opening, restricted at first, marks the primary main step within the second part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Reopening borders is among the many difficult points on the agenda for the part now underway, which additionally embody demilitarizing the strip after practically twenty years of Hamas rule and putting in a brand new authorities to supervise reconstruction.

Nonetheless, Saturday's strikes are a reminder that the demise toll in Gaza continues to be rising even because the ceasefire settlement inches ahead.

Nasser Hospital mentioned the strike on the tent camp brought about a fireplace to interrupt out, killing seven, together with a father, his three youngsters and three grandchildren. In the meantime, Shifa Hospital mentioned the Gaza Metropolis condominium constructing strike killed three youngsters, their aunt and grandmother on Saturday morning, whereas the strike on the police station killed not less than 11 — officers, together with 4 policewomen, and inmates held on the station. The Hamas-run Inside Ministry mentioned Palestinian civilians have been additionally killed within the strike.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4600x3066+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4b%2F74%2F6c69cbfa43aea08e7972207cbab6%2Fap26031317178940.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4600x3066+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4b%2F74%2F6c69cbfa43aea08e7972207cbab6%2Fap26031317178940.jpg" class="img" alt="Palestinians survey the damage to an apartment building after an Israeli military strike killed several people in Gaza City Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026." loading="lazy"/> Palestinians survey the injury to an condominium constructing after an Israeli army strike killed a number of individuals in Gaza Metropolis Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Jehad Alshrafi/AP cover caption

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Jehad Alshrafi/AP Hamas known as Saturday's strikes "a renewed flagrant violation" and urged the US and different mediating nations to push Israel to cease strikes.

A army official, talking Saturday on the situation of anonymity according to protocol, couldn't touch upon the particular targets, however mentioned Israel carried out in a single day and Saturday strikes in response to what the military mentioned have been ceasefire violations the day earlier than.

Israel's army, which has hit targets on either side of the ceasefire's yellow line, has mentioned strikes since October have been in response to violations of the settlement. In a press release Friday, the army mentioned they killed three militants exiting a tunnel in an Israeli-controlled zone in Rafah.

Gaza's Well being Ministry has recorded 509 Palestinians killed by Israeli fireplace because the begin of the ceasefire on Oct. 10. The ministry, which is a part of the Hamas-led authorities, maintains detailed casualty data which might be seen as typically dependable by U.N. businesses and unbiased consultants.