Israeli artillery and helicopter strikes in southern Gaza struck a tent in al‑Mawasi, killing a five‑year‑old girl and her uncle and wounding others, Gaza health officials said. The deaths raise the post‑truce toll to at least 422 since October. Humanitarian groups warn aid deliveries remain constrained and Rafah stays closed despite reports it may reopen in both directions. Residents say reopening the crossing would allow urgent medical care, education and family reunions, but many remain cautious given previous short‑lived openings.
Child Among Two Killed in Southern Gaza as Calls Grow to Reopen Rafah Crossing
A Palestinian child, wounded in an Israeli air strike, receives medical treatment at Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, January 5, 2026 [Ramadan Abed/Reuters]
Israeli forces launched heavy artillery and helicopter strikes in southern Gaza on Monday despite a United States‑brokered ceasefire, hitting a tent sheltering displaced people in the al‑Mawasi area and killing a five‑year‑old girl and her uncle, Gaza health officials and local hospitals said.
Strike and Casualties
The Nasser Medical Complex in southern Khan Younis reported that the strike on the coastal al‑Mawasi area wounded four others, including children. Gaza health authorities said Monday’s deaths brought the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the truce began in October to at least 422.
Israel’s military said it had targeted a Hamas fighter it said was planning an attack "in the immediate timeframe," but did not provide evidence linking that claim to the tent strike or to Monday’s specific incident.
Wider Humanitarian Impact
Despite the ceasefire, near‑daily Israeli operations have continued across Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian access persist, aid groups say. Palestinian officials estimate that roughly 88 percent of buildings in the enclave have been damaged or destroyed; those officials and some residents describe the campaign as devastating and, in some statements, have used the term "genocidal."
Most of Gaza’s roughly two million residents are now sheltering in tents, improvised structures or damaged buildings in areas vacated by Israeli forces. The Palestinian Civil Defence said a previously damaged home in the central Maghazi camp collapsed on Monday, killing a 29‑year‑old father and his eight‑year‑old son. The rescue service later said it could not respond fully to hazards from damaged buildings because of equipment shortages and ongoing fuel scarcities.
Ceasefire Progress And The Rafah Crossing
The ceasefire, agreed after more than two years of intensive fighting, is being implemented in phases that include captive and prisoner exchanges, stepped‑up humanitarian aid and the reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Hamas has released all remaining living captives and returned dozens of bodies, except for one, while Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, including some serving life sentences, according to officials.
Humanitarian organisations, however, say Israeli restrictions continue to impede aid deliveries and that Rafah remains closed. Israeli control of the Palestinian side since May 2024 limited Gaza’s primary link to the outside world, aid groups say. Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, reported on January 1 that Israeli authorities are preparing to reopen Rafah "in both directions" following reported pressure from US officials; that account has not been independently verified and Israeli authorities had previously said the crossing would open only for exits to Egypt.
Voices From Gaza
"It is my dream that the crossing opens so we can continue our education," said Tasnim Jaras, a student in Gaza City. Moaeen al‑Jarousha, wounded during the fighting, said he needs to travel abroad for urgent medical care. "I need immediate medical intervention. I live in very difficult conditions," he told reporters.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Gaza City noted that many residents view the crossing’s reopening as a matter of survival — to access medical care, resume education, and reunite families — while cautioning that previous openings have been short‑lived.
Other Military Activity
Witnesses on Monday reported ongoing demolitions of homes in the eastern Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City. The Israeli military said it struck a Palestinian who crossed the so‑called "yellow line" — a boundary where Israeli forces repositioned when the truce took effect — saying the action aimed to "remove the threat," but provided no evidence. Israel also reported strikes against Hezbollah and Hamas targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.
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