An Israeli air and drone strike targeting the al-Kateeba district in Gaza City killed at least four people—including two children—and left eight others wounded on Tuesday morning. Witnesses reported heavy aerial activity, with over a dozen drones hovering above the area during a chaotic 35-minute barrage. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the strikes were launched to cover an undercover operation after ground forces were compromised while attempting to arrest a Hamas figure, with local sources indicating the head of Hamas’s internal security service was detained.
The military action extended into central Gaza, where a separate strike in Deir el-Balah claimed another life, bringing the morning’s total confirmed death toll to at least five. The Israeli military defended the widespread operations across the enclave, which involved missile strikes and quadcopter drones, as necessary measures to eliminate immediate threats to its personnel on the ground.
Despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire intended to halt major fighting in October, continuous daily strikes by Israeli forces have resulted in sustained casualties across the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire was declared, local health officials report that over 1,320 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,300 injured.
