Gaza City, February 4, 2026 – Israeli air and tank strikes in Gaza have killed at least 20 Palestinians, including several children and a paramedic. Nearly 40 more people were injured, local hospitals reported.
The Israeli military said its forces targeted “terrorists” who had fired on troops in northern Gaza, seriously wounding an officer. The strikes took place near the Yellow Line, beyond which Israeli troops are stationed, and violated a three-month-old ceasefire with Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas described the attacks as a “pretext to continue killing and aggression against our people.”
Children Among the Victims
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City received 13 bodies, including five children, after strikes hit tents for displaced families and nearby homes in the eastern Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods.
Abu Mohammed Haboush, a mourner at the hospital, said, “Our children were martyred – my son, my brother’s son, and daughter. We are peaceful people and had nothing to do with fighting.”
In Khan Younis, Nasser Hospital treated four dead, including a child, after strikes hit tents in the southern Qizan Rashwan area. Later, two sisters, Rahaf and Remas Abu Jamea, and paramedic Hussein al-Samiri died in the coastal al-Mawasi area.
Paramedic Killed While Helping Victims
Jihad al-Hinnawi, a first responder from Hamas-run Civil Defence, said Samiri ran to help victims of an earlier strike on a tent. Then a second strike hit the same location, killing him.
The Palestinian Red Crescent condemned the attack and called it a “grave violation” of international humanitarian law, which protects medical personnel. Similarly, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was “unacceptable” for first responders to face life-threatening risks while performing humanitarian work.
IDF Targets Hamas Commander
The Israel Defense Forces said their strike in al-Mawasi targeted Bilal Abu Assi, a platoon commander of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces. They alleged he led attacks on Kibbutz Nir Oz and held hostages.
The IDF added that it took measures to protect civilians but acknowledged that some, including medical personnel, were hit.
Recent Escalations in Gaza
On Sunday, more than 30 people died in Israeli strikes after gunmen emerged from a tunnel in southern Rafah.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports that Israeli fire has killed at least 556 people so far. In contrast, Israel reports that four of its soldiers have died in Palestinian attacks.
The war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza. Since then, over 71,820 people have died in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
