Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 28 Palestinians and wounded 77 in what is being described as a major breach of the US-brokered ceasefire that began on October 10. Attacks hit al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, a crowded junction in Shujayea, and a building in Zeitoun where an entire family was among the dead. Israel said the raids targeted Hamas after troops came under fire; Hamas denied the claim and condemned the strikes as a dangerous escalation. Observers warn the strikes test international resolve after a recent UN-backed plan calling for an international stabilisation force.
Ceasefire Breached: Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 28 Palestinians, Wound 77 in Gaza
Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 28 Palestinians and wounded 77 in what is being described as a major breach of the US-brokered ceasefire that began on October 10. Attacks hit al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, a crowded junction in Shujayea, and a building in Zeitoun where an entire family was among the dead. Israel said the raids targeted Hamas after troops came under fire; Hamas denied the claim and condemned the strikes as a dangerous escalation. Observers warn the strikes test international resolve after a recent UN-backed plan calling for an international stabilisation force.
07:26 AM, 11/20/2025Conflict
At least 28 Palestinians were killed and 77 injured in a wave of Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, according to medical officials, in what observers called one of the most significant breaches of the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10.
Medical sources reported the bombardment struck multiple locations. Reporter Hani Mahmoud, filing from Gaza City, said the raids focused on three main sites: the al-Mawasi area south of Khan Younis, a junction in the eastern Shujayea area crowded with displaced families, and a building in the Zeitoun neighbourhood where at least 10 people — including an entire family — were killed.
"A father, a mother, and their three children were killed inside this building," the reporter said, adding that the intensified attacks have stoked widespread panic across the territory.
Israel's military said the strikes targeted "Hamas targets" and were launched in response to an incident in which its troops reportedly came under fire in Khan Younis. "The [army] will continue to act forcefully to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel," it said in a statement.
Hamas rejected the account, calling the claim that its forces fired on Israeli troops "a flimsy and transparent attempt to justify crimes and violations" and described the strikes as "a dangerous escalation". The group accused Israel's leadership of using the incident to justify renewed large-scale operations in Gaza.
From Ramallah, Nour Odeh warned that Israel has effectively positioned itself as arbiter of compliance with the truce. "It judges for itself whether there is compliance by Hamas with this ceasefire," she said, "and if it decides there is not, Israel carries out air strikes against specific targets."
Wednesday's strikes in Gaza coincided with a series of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, where tensions have risen following an attack on a Palestinian refugee camp that killed more than a dozen people the previous day.
Political fallout and international response
The renewed violence came days after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution endorsing a US-backed peace plan for Gaza that envisages an international stabilisation force and a board to oversee governance in the territory. The resolution effectively supports demands that Hamas relinquish control of Gaza — a proposal that Hamas and other Palestinian factions have rejected as inconsistent with Palestinian aspirations.
Palestinian rights group Al-Haq urged Security Council members to oppose the resolution, warning it could undermine Palestinian self-determination. Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said the recent strikes test the international community's willingness to enforce the ceasefire and uphold the council's decisions.
"This is a real test for the Security Council, for the United States, and for the international community," Elgindy said. "If the United States does not act, we risk a continuation of war under the pretext of a ceasefire and peacemaking."
An analysis tracking incidents since October 10 found many alleged violations of the ceasefire, underscoring concerns among observers that the truce remains fragile and unevenly enforced.
The strikes have deepened fear and uncertainty across Gaza, where civilians continue to face severe humanitarian challenges. International and regional actors are being pressed to respond as questions grow about the ceasefire's durability and the prospects for a political settlement.