Gaza Violence Escalates: Father and Son Among Seven Killed in Israeli Attacks Amidst Ceasefire Disputes

At least seven individuals, including a father and his 13-year-old son, lost their lives in Israeli attacks across Gaza on Tuesday, according to Palestinian health sources and media reports. This escalation of violence occurs despite a year-old ceasefire agreement.

Fadi Rajab and his son Abubakr were killed when an Israeli air strike targeted a displacement shelter in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza city, as confirmed by medics. Reports also indicate that a third Palestinian died in an Israeli air strike on the Ghubain family home in Gaza city's Daraj neighbourhood.

In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, one man was killed by Israeli gunfire. Additionally, three more Palestinians were killed in an air strike in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza city, as reported by the Wafa news agency. A fire subsequently broke out at a nearby tent camp for displaced people following the Israeli attack.

The Israeli military stated that it had struck militants in Zeitoun and Daraj but offered no further details. The military did not immediately comment on the incidents in Khan Younis or Sabra.

These fatalities come amidst ongoing disagreements regarding a US-brokered ceasefire that commenced in October 2025, which had envisioned the eventual reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Negotiators have struggled to reach an agreement on the terms for Hamas to disarm or for Israel to withdraw its troops, which currently control approximately two-thirds of the territory. Residents have been instructed to evacuate areas under Israeli control.

Israel asserts that Hamas is attempting to regroup and restock its arsenal, while the Palestinian group maintains its commitment to the ceasefire agreement and accuses Israel of undermining it. Since the ceasefire took effect, at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to the territory's health officials. Israel reports that four of its soldiers have been killed during the same period. Palestinian authorities state that more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive in Gaza. This offensive began after Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.