Airstrikes conducted by Israeli forces in Gaza on Wednesday resulted in multiple casualties, with at least 10 people killed across two separate strikes according to local medical facilities and humanitarian organizations. The timing of these operations raised questions about the viability of peace negotiations, occurring merely two days after U.S. representatives reportedly pressed Israeli leadership to scale back military activities in the territory.
Israel’s military attributed one strike in the Nuseirat refugee camp area to targeting a Hamas commander implicated in a major attack on Israeli territory. A second strike in Gaza City hit what the military described as militants gathered at a police station allegedly planning operations against Israeli forces. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry stated that the Gaza City strike killed eight police officers and a 13-year-old girl, while one fatality occurred in Nuseirat. Additionally, an Israeli strike on a seaside cafe on Tuesday evening resulted in seven Palestinian deaths, including a child.
U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner held discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday focused on encouraging a reduction in Gaza operations. Despite these diplomatic efforts, military actions continued, and Israeli troops also reportedly crossed ceasefire boundaries in southern Gaza, detaining a Hamas police officer at dawn Wednesday according to witnesses and Hamas officials.
The current ceasefire, in place since October, has substantially decreased overall hostilities but has not halted Israeli military operations entirely. Since the ceasefire began, Israeli strikes have been responsible for at least 1,273 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health authorities. Broader peace negotiations have stalled over disagreements regarding the conditions and sequencing of Hamas disarmament and Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem criticized the diplomatic oversight body established by the U.S., characterizing it as providing “cover” for continued military escalation rather than enforcing ceasefire compliance. Israel’s military announced it would initiate criminal investigations into specific incidents involving troops, including killings of civilians in 2024 and 2025 following a review process completed Wednesday.
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