Gaza Strikes Kill 32 Palestinians Despite Ceasefire Agreement
Gaza City, 1 February 2026
Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on 31 January killed at least 32 Palestinians, including children and women, marking one of the deadliest days since the October ceasefire began. The strikes targeted residential buildings, a police station, and displaced persons’ camps, with Israel claiming retaliation for ceasefire violations whilst Hamas condemned the attacks as renewed genocide.
Widespread Casualties Across Multiple Locations
The 31 January strikes hit multiple locations across Gaza, with Palestinian health officials reporting casualties from attacks on residential areas, infrastructure, and displacement camps [1][2][3]. At Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, medical staff confirmed that an airstrike on a residential apartment killed three children and two women [1]. The Sheikh Radwan police station in Gaza City was also bombed, resulting in 13 deaths, including five officers [5]. In Khan Younis, helicopter gunships targeted a tent camp sheltering displaced people, with Nasser Hospital reporting seven deaths, including a father, his three children, and three grandchildren [3][4].
Israel Claims Response to Ceasefire Violations
The Israeli Defence Forces stated the strikes were conducted in response to ceasefire violations that occurred on 30 January, when eight gunmen emerged from a tunnel in the Israeli-controlled zone of Rafah [1][5]. Israeli military sources claimed the operations targeted ‘eight terrorists’ in Rafah and other locations, including ‘four commanders and additional terrorists’, as well as weapons storage facilities, manufacturing sites, and launch positions belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad [1][5]. The timing of these strikes came just one day before the scheduled reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on 1 February [3][4][5].
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Ongoing Violence
The recent escalation adds to an already devastating humanitarian toll that has accumulated since the conflict began on 7 October 2023, following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages [1][6]. Since the war’s onset, over 71,660 people have been killed in Gaza according to the Hamas-run health ministry [1], with broader estimates suggesting the death toll may be significantly higher. A peer-reviewed analysis published in The Lancet estimated 64,260 deaths from traumatic injury between October 2023 and June 2024, with projections likely exceeding 70,000 by October 2024, noting that 59.1% were women, children, and the elderly [6].
Fragile Ceasefire Under Strain
The violence underscores the fragility of the ceasefire agreement that began in October 2025, which has seen continued casualties on both sides [2][3][4]. Since the ceasefire commenced, Israeli fire has killed over 520 Palestinians, whilst Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers [3][4]. Hamas condemned the latest strikes, describing them as ‘a renewed flagrant violation’ and urging the United States to take action, stating the attacks confirm Israel ‘continues its brutal war of genocide against the strip’ [1]. The grief of affected families was captured in the words of Samer al-Atbash, uncle of three children killed in the Gaza City apartment strike, who questioned: ‘We found my three little nieces in the street. They say ceasefire and all. What did those children do? What did we do?’ [1][3][4].