Health officials reported that Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 20 Palestinians, including four children, in Gaza on Wednesday, escalating tensions despite a fragile ceasefire.
Among the victims was a medic who was killed while rushing to aid victims of an initial strike in Khan Younis, struck again at the same location.
Other attacks targeted Gaza City, where a five-month-old boy was reportedly killed. These strikes occurred three days after Israel reopened Gaza’s main border crossing with Egypt, a key step under the US-backed truce.
The Israeli military stated that the strikes were carried out in response to gunmen firing at Israeli troops near the armistice line with Hamas. It said one Israeli soldier was severely injured in the exchange. Since the border reopened, Gazan health officials report that 28 Palestinians have been killed.
Earlier, before the reopening, Israeli airstrikes had killed over 30 Palestinians following an incident involving gunmen emerging from a tunnel in an Israeli-controlled area.
Patient Crossings at Rafah Disrupted
Palestinian patients scheduled to cross into Egypt through the newly reopened Rafah border crossing were informed that their passage had been postponed. Hours later, some were again told to prepare to cross. A Red Crescent spokesperson confirmed that patients waiting at a hospital in Khan Younis were told the crossing was closed due to unspecified security concerns.
Egyptian authorities said efforts were ongoing to reopen Rafah. Meanwhile, Israel’s COGAT agency claimed the crossing remained open but said it had not received the required coordination details from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Under the October ceasefire, reopening Rafah was a key component of the first phase of the US plan to halt fighting between Israel and Hamas. On Tuesday, 16 patients and 40 escorts crossed into Egypt, while at least 40 people reportedly returned to Gaza from Egypt.
Fragile Ceasefire and Ongoing Violence
The second phase of the ceasefire, announced in January, is intended to address Gaza’s governance and reconstruction, but key issues - including Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas and Hamas disarmament - remain unresolved.
Since the ceasefire began, Israeli strikes have killed at least 530 Palestinians, mostly civilians, while Palestinian fighters have killed four Israeli soldiers.
The two-year Israeli offensive on Gaza previously resulted in over 71,000 Palestinian deaths, mass displacement, and widespread destruction, drawing international criticism, including allegations of genocide by human rights organizations - a claim rejected by Israel.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the offensive resulted in roughly 1,200 Israeli deaths, according to Israeli figures.
