Israeli warplanes hit multiple areas of Gaza on 4 February 2026, killing at least 24 Palestinians, among them children, women, and a paramedic, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Palestinian officials and residents described the strikes as a deliberate escalation that shattered the fragile ceasefire and revived scenes they compared to earlier large‑scale assaults on the enclave. They stressed that the victims were overwhelmingly civilians sheltering in densely crowded neighborhoods with nowhere safe to flee.
Israel said the attacks came in response to alleged fire from Palestinian fighters near Khan Younis that wounded an Israeli soldier, but Palestinian factions disputed the narrative and accused Israel of using isolated incidents as a pretext for collective punishment.
Humanitarian groups highlighted that Gaza has already been devastated by years of blockade and repeated wars, with hospitals short of fuel, medicine, and equipment as new casualties arrive. Palestinian commentators warned that as long as Israel maintains its siege and uses overwhelming force in such operations, talk of “calm” or “ceasefire” will remain meaningless for families counting their dead and displaced.
