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Israel kills four including children in Gaza: medics

At least four people were killed during a bombardment by Israeli forces in Gaza, officials say. (AP PHOTO)

Israeli gunfire and air strikes have killed at least four people, including three children, in the Gaza Strip, health officials ‌say.

Witnesses said Israeli warplanes fired at least 12 missiles near the Katiba area in ‌the west of Gaza City, an area crowded with displaced families.

At least three people - ‌two children and a woman - were killed and several others wounded in the unusually heavy bombardment, medics said. Two vehicles were hit and reduced to twisted wreckage.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it struck several targets in the Gaza ‌Strip in order ‌to remove threats ⁠to Israeli security forces.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run ​Gaza government media office, said an Israeli special force had attempted to carry out an operation in Gaza City but was discovered during the mission.

He said Israel then launched heavy air strikes involving more than 10 warplanes, killing and wounding several people.

In a separate ⁠incident, medics said a girl, Israa Al-Hissi, was ‌killed ​and two other people were wounded when Israeli forces operating east of Deir ​Al-Balah in central ‌Gaza opened fire on the area.

A US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October ​2025 halted the large-scale fighting that had devastated the enclave, but it has not ended Israeli strikes. The military says such operations are intended to ​prevent ​attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian ​militant groups.

Hamas accuses Israel of repeatedly violating ‌the ceasefire and undermining efforts to advance a broader plan by US President Donald Trump to end the war. The plan includes further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.

People inspect damaged buildings in Gaza Strip
Gazan health officials says 1300 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since a truce in 2025. (AP PHOTO)

More than 1300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ​ceasefire came into force last October, according to Gaza health officials. The ​Israeli military says four ⁠Israeli soldiers have been killed during the same period.

"There is no ceasefire. There is not one good day in Gaza since October 7 (2023)," said Amjad Abu Abdo, a relative of one of the ⁠people who died in a strike on ‌Monday.

"I swear, ​we do not sleep from the sound of drones. You sleep scared of being hit," Abu ​Abdo added.

Hamas-led fighters ‌killed 1200 people during their cross-border attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli ​tallies. 

The Gazan health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in the enclave since then.

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