Israeli strike on Gaza funeral kills eight, wounds 22 as ceasefire casualties mount
At least eight people were killed and 22 wounded in central Gaza on Friday, according to local officials. The Israeli military stated it targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad cell, acknowledging potential civilian harm as the conflict enters its second year.
An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza has killed at least eight people and wounded 22 others, local officials confirmed on Friday. The attack struck a gathering of civilians in the Al-Balata market area of the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue service under Hamas authority.
The Al-Awda hospital reported receiving eight bodies and 22 injured patients following the incident. The AFP news agency, citing civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal, identified the event as a funeral procession. The casualty figures reflect the immediate toll reported by local health and rescue services at the scene.
Israel’s military stated it had struck a “terrorist cell” belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group in the central Gaza Strip. In a statement released shortly after the operation, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) acknowledged awareness of claims that uninvolved individuals were harmed. The military confirmed that the results of the strike are currently under review.
This incident occurs within the context of a ceasefire deal agreed to in October, aimed at halting a war sparked by the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel. Despite the truce, violence has persisted. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, at least 1,127 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect.
Over the same period, the IDF reports that at least five Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza. The conflict, now approaching its second year, continues to see sporadic engagements despite the formal cessation of hostilities agreed upon earlier this year.
