On a day meant to symbolize peace, violence never ended in Gaza. Israeli strikes across the enclave killed at least 22 Palestinians, including children, in what medical sources described as a sharp escalation, a chilling reminder that the United States-brokered ceasefire remains perilously fragile.
Early Saturday, Israeli forces launched attacks in Gaza City, as well as in the central areas of Deir el-Balah and the Nuseirat refugee camp. Medical officials said 22 people lost their lives and dozens more were wounded in the wave of bombings.
Witnesses described the scene as deeply unsettling, noting that the ceasefire’s promise of calm has been repeatedly broken and replaced with what many now call a slow and steady pattern of killing.
Since the truce went into effect on October 10, the Gaza Health Ministry has reported hundreds of Palestinians killed and many more wounded, figures that highlight how fragile the ceasefire has become.
Residents say that although the bombardment has slowed compared to earlier periods of full-scale war, life in Gaza remains overshadowed by fear, grief and uncertainty about what comes next.
According to Israeli authorities, the recent strikes targeted senior Hamas officials after troops reportedly came under attack near withdrawal positions inside the territory. Government statements said several high-ranking members of the group were killed in the operations.
Hamas rejected those claims and accused Israel of carrying out systematic violations of the ceasefire under fabricated pretexts. The group also accused Israel of moving military positions beyond the agreed boundary known as the yellow line, a shift they say directly contradicts the terms of the truce.
Hamas officials have urged international mediators to intervene urgently and pressure Israel to fully comply with the agreement.
The instability is not confined to Gaza. The occupied West Bank has seen a significant surge in violence as well. Local monitors and humanitarian organizations have reported a record number of settler attacks against Palestinians, along with a rise in raids, detentions and clashes between Israeli forces and residents.
Analysts warn that the dual escalation risks collapsing any confidence remaining in the ceasefire, while fueling broader regional tension.
The loss of life represents only part of the crisis. Human rights groups report a rise in forced evictions, property seizures, home demolitions and displacement. Experts caution that the systematic removal of civilians from occupied territory may constitute a war crime under international law.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza continue to struggle with shortages of medicine, damaged infrastructure and limited capacity to treat trauma victims. Emergency workers face extreme challenges reaching bombed areas, where safety cannot be guaranteed even temporarily.
The latest killings in Gaza reveal a harsh truth: violence never ended despite the ceasefire that was meant to bring relief. The continuing loss of life shows how fragile such agreements remain without rigorous enforcement, sustained diplomacy and genuine accountability. For Palestinians living under the bombardment, peace still feels like a distant concept rather than a lived reality.
