An Israeli military strike killed at least four people, including two children, in the northern Gaza community of Beit Lahiya, according to Shifa Hospital, where the victims’ bodies were transported. The attack struck a home and killed a husband and wife alongside their two daughters, aged 8 and 12.
Israeli Strike Kills Four in Beit Lahiya
A neighbor of the family, Zuheir al-Heisami, spoke at the hospital regarding the incident, which occurred at approximately 2 a.m. There is nothing that can justify Israel attacking this home,
al-Heisami said, adding that the parents and their two children were killed while they were asleep.
The Israeli military stated that the strike in Beit Lahiya eliminated a militant who had participated in attacks against its forces, though it did not provide further details. Under the fragile ceasefire in place since October, the Israeli military has previously stated that its strikes are executed in response to threats against its forces.
Ceasefire Tensions and Ongoing Casualties
While the heaviest fighting in Gaza has subsided since the ceasefire took hold in October, ongoing Israeli airstrikes have continued to result in Palestinian casualties. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 1,288 Palestinians have been killed by airstrikes during this period. Gaza health officials report that the ministry maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by independent experts and United Nations agencies, though the ministry does not provide a separate breakdown distinguishing civilians from militants.
On the other side of the conflict, five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began. Militants have carried out shooting attacks directed at Israeli troops, while Israel maintains that its operations respond to those incidents and other violations of the ceasefire.
Palestinian officials have reported various strikes hitting homes and police stations across the territory. Meanwhile, Hamas has asserted that these military attacks are intended to destabilize Gaza and impede progress on subsequent phases of the ceasefire agreement, which include the territorial demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, as well as the deployment of an international stabilization force.
Broader Regional Developments
The strike in Beit Lahiya coincided with other major developments across the Middle East. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha, as confirmed by Ahmed Baash, a commander with National Resistance Forces allied with the Yemeni government, and Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau. Mokha is situated roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital waterway carrying about 12% of global oil and other shipped goods.
Separately, the Algerian government announced it is severing diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates, citing unspecified provocative and hostile actions. In addition, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a warning of a powerful response if Israel is attacked, stating it would inflict severe damage on Iran’s central energy facilities following recent missile launches.
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