At least five Palestinians, including two children, were killed on Tuesday after Israeli airstrikes hit a crowded neighbourhood in Gaza City during an operation to detain a senior Hamas militant. The raid, carried out by an Israeli special forces unit, was reportedly detected mid‑operation, prompting Israeli troops to call in air support as they withdrew.
According to Ismail Al‑Thawabta, head of the Hamas‑run Gaza media office, Israeli warplanes launched heavy strikes, firing around 12 missiles at the Katiba area in western Gaza City — a zone where many displaced families have been sheltering. Witnesses described scenes of panic as explosions tore through tents and makeshift shelters. Medics confirmed that among the dead were two children and a woman, while several others were wounded.
Two vehicles were also hit and left mangled, adding to the destruction in an area already devastated by months of conflict.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, speaking near the northern Gaza border, defended the operation, saying Israel would continue to “pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them, and destroy their terror infrastructure.” The Israeli military later said it had struck “several targets” to remove threats to its forces.
In a separate incident in central Gaza, medics reported that Israa Al‑Hissi, a young girl, was killed and two others wounded when Israeli forces operating east of Deir Al‑Balah opened fire.
The latest violence underscores the relentless toll of the conflict on civilians, with densely populated areas repeatedly caught in the crossfire.