Israeli air strikes kill at least 20 in Gaza, in latest test of ceasefire
The military says it was responding to a gunman crossing into Israeli-held territory, but Hamas called the allegation ‘an excuse to kill’
Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 80, local health authorities said on Saturday, in a further test of a fragile ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.
Witnesses and medical staff said the first attack hit a car in the densely populated Rimal neighbourhood, setting it ablaze. It was not immediately clear whether the five dead were passengers of the car or included passers-by. Dozens of people rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue the victims.
Shortly after the attack on the car, the Israeli air force carried out two separate air strikes on two houses in Deir Al-Balah city and Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least 10 people and wounding several others, medical staff said.
Later on Saturday, a new Israeli air strike on a house in western Gaza City killed at least five Palestinians and wounded others, medical workers said, taking Saturday’s death toll to at least 20.
The Israeli military said a gunman had crossed into Israeli-held territory in Gaza and exploited “the humanitarian road in the area through which humanitarian aid enters southern Gaza”, calling it a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement”.
The military said it was striking targets in Gaza in response.