Israeli Strike in Central Gaza Kills Three Palestinians, Including a Child

An Israeli air strike killed three Palestinians, including a child, in central Gaza on Monday. The strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in a neighborhood of Deir al-Balah around 9:30 a.m. local time. Health authorities in Gaza said two men and the child were killed and a third man was wounded.

An Israeli military official confirmed the strike took place. The military identified the target as a member of Islamic Jihad involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and said the action responded to militant activity. Israeli strikes since the October ceasefire have killed 1,045 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza.

The same officials reported that Israel's broader offensive has killed more than 73,058 Palestinians since October 2023.

The ceasefire has officially been in effect since October. Israel occupies around 60 percent of Gaza, and Deir al-Balah remains under Hamas control. Israeli soldiers have also been killed since the ceasefire took effect. Israel's military has announced multiple strikes on militants in recent days, including three over the weekend.

The October 7, 2023 attack by militants on Israel killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.