A massive wave of Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip that killed dozens of Palestinians.
The fragile nine-day-old Gaza truce, painstakingly brokered by international mediators, faced a devastating test on Sunday, October 19, with a massive wave of Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip that killed dozens of Palestinians.
The truce—designed to allow for humanitarian aid flow and phased prisoner/hostage exchanges—has been violently shattered, as both Israel and Hamas trade bitter accusations, each blaming the other for being the primary breach that reignited the conflict.
The deadly flare-up saw Israeli forces launch a series of intense air raids across southern, central, and northern Gaza.
The scale of the violence led the Gaza civil defense agency, which operates under the Hamas-run government, and local hospitals to confirm that at least 45 Palestinians were killed in the strikes on Sunday alone, updating an earlier toll.
This single day’s violence accounted for nearly half of the total Palestinian deaths recorded since the ceasefire was first implemented. The cumulative toll reported by the Gaza government media office indicates that Israel has killed a total of 97 Palestinians and wounded 230 others since the truce came into effect.
This alarming rise in casualties underscores the intense fragility of the ceasefire agreement and has raised fears that the temporary calm has completely evaporated.
A Truce Shattered, Lives Lost:
Gaza Conflict Flares Anew
The carefully constructed Gaza truce has been shattered with a brutal resurgence of violence, as Israeli strikes claimed the lives of dozens of Palestinians in a single, bloody day.
The fragile peace, meant to bring relief to the war-torn region, instead collapsed under a hail of fire, with both parties in the Gaza conflict accusing the other of being the aggressor who breached the agreement.
This alarming return to open hostilities has sent shockwaves through the region and renewed global pressure on the international community to re-establish stability before the death toll rises further.
Headline Points
• Mass Casualties in Gaza:
At least 45 Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli airstrikes on Sunday, October 19, according to the Gaza civil defense agency and local hospitals, marking the deadliest single day since the ceasefire began.
• Total Post-Truce Deaths:
The Gaza government media office states that a total of 97 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli actions since the ceasefire began in early October.
• Blame Traded:
Israel claims its strikes were a direct response to a “blatant violation” by Hamas, specifically citing attacks on Israeli troops in Rafah that killed two soldiers.
• Hamas Denial and Accusation:
Hamas officials and its armed wing denied knowledge of clashes in Rafah and accused Israel of “fabricating pretexts” and “continuing to breach the agreement” to justify renewed military action.
• Aid Halted:
The transfer of humanitarian aid into the territory was temporarily halted by an Israeli security official following the alleged Hamas violation, placing further strain on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
The Day of Renewed Fire
The nine-day truce faced its critical test on Sunday when, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas militants initiated a violation.
The IDF reported that its troops in Rafah in southern Gaza came under fire, including a strike using an anti-tank missile, which resulted in the death of two Israeli soldiers. In immediate response, the Israeli military launched a massive wave of retaliatory strikes across the Gaza Strip, hitting dozens of targets the IDF identified as Hamas weapons storage facilities, firing posts, and underground infrastructure. The military stated it used over 120 munitions in these attacks.
The areas affected by the Israeli strikes were widespread, including refugee camps and civilian neighbourhoods.
Hospitals across the territory, including Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, Al-Aqsa Hospital, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, and Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, received the dead and wounded. Al-Awda Hospital, in particular, reported receiving 24 bodies from multiple strikes in the Nuseirat and Bureij camps in central Gaza.
Casualties included civilians; a drone strike near Khan Younis killed at least four people, including a woman and two children, after hitting a tent housing displaced people.
Another strike on a makeshift coffeehouse in Zawaida town in central Gaza killed at least six Palestinians.
Accusations of Ceasefire Breaches
The immediate resumption of hostilities has devolved into a bitter blame game. Israel maintains its actions were defensive and a necessary measure against a clear violation by Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office directed that “strong action be taken against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.” The IDF later stated that following the strikes, it had “begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire,” suggesting the retaliatory action was limited in scope.
Conversely, Hamas officials vehemently denied the Israeli accusations, with the group’s political bureau reaffirming their commitment to the truce. A Hamas official accused Israel of “continuing to breach the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes.” Prior to Sunday’s attacks, the Gaza media office had already accused Israel of violating the truce 47 times since it came into effect, which had resulted in 38 Palestinian deaths before the Sunday escalation.
This history of mutual accusation suggests a profound lack of trust and an unravelling of the diplomatic achievement that established the truce.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The return to fighting has immediately jeopardised the already precarious humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Following the initial accusations of a ceasefire breach by Hamas, an Israeli security official announced that the transfer of aid into the territory would be halted “until further notice.” Aid convoys, which were intended to be a crucial component of the ceasefire, have continually fallen short of the minimum daily requirements to sustain the population. With an estimated 90% of the population displaced and famine experts noting the spread of starvation, the interruption of aid deliveries threatens a humanitarian catastrophe.
As rescue workers continue the arduous task of searching for approximately 10,000 bodies believed to be trapped under 60 million tonnes of rubble from the preceding conflict, the renewed strikes threaten to compound the destruction and further complicate recovery efforts. The immediate future of the Gaza Strip now hangs in the balance, with the fragility of the peace agreement exposed by the escalating death toll.
