Israeli attacks on residential areas in Gaza kill eight

Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in fresh casualties in densely populated urban areas. On Saturday, two missiles struck a residential apartment building in the al-Nasr neighbourhood, destroying the structure and damaging adjacent blocks. Medical personnel at Al Shifa hospital reported five deaths from this strike alone, with several additional residents wounded in the vicinity. Rescue operations were ongoing as teams searched through rubble for potential survivors, with medical sources cautioning that the final death toll could rise.

Separately, artillery fire struck the al-Zeitoun district of Gaza City the same day, killing three residents according to medical sources. This followed a pattern of recent similar strikes in the nearby Tel al-Hawa area. Israeli authorities confirmed conducting operations across Gaza during this period.

These incidents represent a continuation of military activity despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement reached in October between Israel and Hamas. Since that ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes have resulted in at least 1,127 Palestinian deaths, including a minimum of 260 children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The same period saw five Israeli soldiers killed.

The strikes have occurred in areas that extend beyond the so-called Yellow Line, the boundary Israeli forces were expected to maintain under ceasefire terms. Israeli media reports indicate the military now controls approximately 70 percent of Gaza, substantially exceeding the roughly 50 percent of territory anticipated under the agreement. This territorial expansion is fragmenting Gaza into disconnected zones, severely restricting civilian movement and contributing to the deterioration of urban infrastructure and economic activity.