Despite a declared ceasefire, Gaza woke once again to death and devastation as Israeli air strikes tore through the besieged enclave overnight, killing several Palestinians and injuring many more. In the southern city of Khan Younès, medical staff reported that a strike on a police checkpoint near al-Maslakh junction left four people dead, with others critically wounded. For residents already enduring hunger, displacement and trauma, the pause in fighting promised last autumn continues to feel illusory amid an unrelenting genocidal war.

Similar scenes unfolded in central Gaza, where a drone strike hit a police post at the entrance of the Bureij refugee camp, killing two people and wounding several others. In the north, a civilian was reported killed in Beit Lahia. Health workers, operating with dwindling supplies, described mounting pressure as casualties arrived faster than they could be treated. The strikes form part of a pattern of near-daily violations since the ceasefire came into force in October 2025, raising questions over whether the agreement exists beyond diplomatic statements.

Palestinian resistance figures warned that the continued targeting of Gaza undermines mediation efforts and exposes the ceasefire as empty rhetoric. They said the steady rise in casualties reflects disregard for international guarantees and for the mechanisms meant to halt the bloodshed. Since the start of the genocidal war more than two years ago, the death toll in Gaza has reportedly surpassed 72,000, with hundreds killed after the truce was announced. At the same time, Israel is said to have breached the ceasefire more than 1,600 times.

Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate sharply. Fewer than 300 aid and commercial trucks entered Gaza on Thursday, far short of the daily minimum required to meet basic needs, particularly during Ramadan. Heavy rains have flooded tents sheltering displaced families, compounding misery for those already living among ruins. Adding to the crisis, Israeli authorities have ordered dozens of humanitarian organisations to suspend operations unless they hand over personal data on Palestinian staff, a move aid workers warn could cripple life-saving assistance. Earlier restrictions on UNRWA have already left major gaps in relief efforts, despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice affirming the obligation to allow essential aid to reach Gaza.