Gaza health officials say Israeli strikes kill almost 20 in one morning

On February 4, 2026, Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 19 Palestinians, including two infants, according to Gaza medical officials. The strikes targeted various locations, including the Tuffah neighborhood in north Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis, as well as the eastern neighborhood of Zaytoun in Gaza City. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) justified the strikes as a response to a militant attack on Israeli soldiers that seriously wounded one. The escalation occurred amid a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has been in place since October 10, 2025, but has seen repeated violations. The latest violence has raised questions about the effectiveness of the peace plan and the commitment of both sides to its terms. The IDF accused Hamas militants of violating the ceasefire agreement, stating that armored units and aircraft conducted strikes in response to the militant attack. The escalating death toll has tested the U.S.-backed peace plan, with many Palestinians expressing frustration and disbelief at the continued violence. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Gaza City's Shifa Hospital, questioned the ceasefire's existence, asking, 'Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?' The Israeli military has defended its strikes as necessary responses to Hamas violations and militant attacks on its soldiers. Since the ceasefire took hold, Israel's military has reported four soldiers killed in such attacks. The Gaza health ministry, run by Hamas, reported that at least 556 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began, with 21 deaths recorded on Wednesday alone. The ministry's figures are generally considered reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts, although Israel disputes the tally. The conflict has resulted in over 71,800 Palestinian deaths since its start, with many bodies still unrecovered from the rubble. The violence has also highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region, with limited access to medical care and basic necessities for the Palestinian population.