At least 21 people were reported killed and more than 30 others injured by Israeli fire in Gaza on Wednesday after renewed fighting in the coastal territory, the Hamas-controlled health authority said.
It said the incidents occurred across the Gaza strip since the early morning, which underscores the fragility of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a Telegram post they carried out several strikes in northern Gaza after “terrorists opened fire on IDF troops,” seriously wounding a reserve officer.
The IDF said shots were fired near the so-called “yellow line,” beyond which Israeli forces have withdrawn under the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas rejected the accusations, calling them a pretext for Israel to continue its attacks on Gaza.
The Gaza health authority said seven of the 21 deaths occurred in Israeli shelling in the south of the territory.
The Hamas-controlled civil defence agency said a 12-year-old girl was among those killed. Asked about the incident, Israel’s military said it was investigating the reports.
Palestinian health officials also reported 14 fatalities in several neighbourhoods of Gaza City in the north. According to the civil defence authority, a baby was among those killed. It said tents housing displaced people and residential buildings were hit.
The claims by both sides could not be independently verified.
A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas since October 10, 2025.
Despite the agreement, there have been repeated deadly clashes, with both sides accusing the other of breaching its terms.
Israel: Hamas commander targeted in south
Israel’s army also said it targeted a Hamas commander in a separate strike in southern Gaza, alleging he had played a leading role in the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. Palestinian reports said a paramedic was killed in the attack.
The Israeli military said it was aware of reports that civilians had been hit and expressed regret for any harm to uninvolved people, adding that measures had been taken to minimize civilian casualties.
Later, the army said it had also killed a commander from the Islamic Jihad group, who was responsible for deploying fighters in northern Gaza, coordinating attacks with Hamas and overseeing hostages during the war.
In addition, a Hamas terrorist who had murdered a kidnapped Israeli soldier held hostage during the war was killed, according to a statement from the military.
Gaza returnees report Israeli harassment at Rafah border
Palestinian women have reported harassment by Israeli security forces at the recently reopened Rafah border crossing after returning to the Gaza Strip, prompting Israeli denials.
One woman, 70-year-old Um Ahmed, told dpa that Israeli soldiers blindfolded people entering Gaza and issued threats during questioning. She and other returnees, including elderly and sick people, had to wait for hours, she said.
Another affected woman reported that soldiers took travellers’ belongings, including a child’s toy. The woman from Gaza City said she was afraid of being detained or turned back.
A third Palestinian woman said crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip felt like a punishment, not a regular procedure.
The Israeli military rejected the allegations.
The key crossing, the only one that does not run through Israeli territory, was reopened for the movement of people on Monday.
A total of 71 Palestinians left the Gaza Strip in the first two days after the opening, according to sources within the Hamas-controlled health authority.
This included 21 sick people who want to travel abroad for medical treatment, as well as 50 relatives accompanying them, they said. At the same time, 12 Palestinians returned to the territory on Monday and 40 people on Tuesday, they added.
The movement of people through the Rafah crossing is overseen and supported by the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Rafah (EUBAM).
Palestinians bid farewell to the bodies of three citizens at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, who were killed in an Israeli attack on their displacement tent south of the city. According to medical sources, 18 citizens were killed today in Israeli attacks on various areas of the Gaza Strip. Tariq Mohammad/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
