TEHRAN – Israeli warplanes launched a new wave of air raids across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing dozens of Palestinians in yet another blatant violation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. 

The attacks struck a tent sheltering displaced families in the Mawasi area northwest of Khan Younis, as well as residential buildings in Gaza City neighborhoods. By Saturday afternoon, more than 30 Palestinians — including children — had been killed.

According to Al Jazeera, the strikes occurred inside the so called “yellow line,” a zone Israel had previously designated as safe for civilians. 

The Israeli military claimed the attacks were a response to what it called a violation of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement. In a statement, it said its forces — alongside the domestic intelligence agency — targeted individuals it labeled as Hamas and Islamic Jihad commanders. It further alleged that eight fighters were seen emerging from underground tunnels in eastern Rafah, though it provided no evidence to support these claims. Israel also said it struck a weapons storage site, a manufacturing facility, and two launch sites in central Gaza.

Hamas rejected Israel’s narrative outright, calling the claims “a pathetic attempt to justify horrific massacres against civilians.” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem described the attacks as a demonstration of Israel’s “contempt for mediators, guarantor states, and all parties involved in the so called ‘Peace Council’” — the committee of global leaders handpicked by President Donald Trump to oversee his 20 point plan for ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Gaza’s Government Media Office reports that over 520 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces. These deaths come on top of the staggering toll of Israel’s broader assault: more than 71,600 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023.

For Palestinians, these latest attacks reinforce a grim reality: even ceasefires brokered by Israel’s closest ally offer no real protection. Displaced families sheltering in designated “safe zones” continue to be bombed. Civilian infrastructure — homes, apartments, police stations, and makeshift camps — remains a primary target. And each new round of Israeli strikes further erodes the credibility of international mediators who insist that diplomacy is working.

The pattern is unmistakable: Israel continues to act with impunity, shielded by U.S. political cover, while Palestinians — already exhausted, displaced, and starving — pay the price with their lives.