Gaza (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) February 4, 2026 - Israeli airstrikes targeted locations across Gaza killing 21 people including women and children following claims that Hamas violated a ceasefire agreement. The military conducted operations in multiple neighbourhoods citing rocket launches from Gaza territory. Palestinian health authorities reported casualties at hospitals receiving the wounded from the strikes.
The Israel Defense Forces announced strikes hit Hamas command centres and weapons storage facilities after detecting violations of truce terms established late 2025. Gaza Civil Defence reported strikes impacted residential areas in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah with emergency crews responding to collapsed structures. Hamas officials denied ceasefire breaches maintaining compliance with agreement parameters.
International mediators monitoring the ceasefire expressed concern over escalation risks while urging restraint from both parties. UN agencies reported heightened tensions at aid crossing points amid renewed hostilities.
What Specific Gaza Locations Did Israeli Strikes Target?
Israeli military spokesperson stated operations focused on Zeitoun neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City where Hamas allegedly operated drone workshops. Khan Younis strikes hit tunnel entrances beneath civilian infrastructure according to IDF intelligence assessments. Rafah border area received artillery support targeting cross-border smuggling networks.
Gaza Health Ministry identified Shifa Hospital receiving 14 casualties from Zeitoun with six bodies recovered from rubble. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis treated eight wounded including four children. Civil Defence teams extracted families from partially collapsed apartment blocks using manual rescue equipment.
Satellite imagery showed three strike sites generating thermal signatures consistent with precision-guided munitions deployment.
When Did Israel Claim Hamas Violated the Ceasefire Agreement?
IDF Northern Command detected three rockets launched from Gaza towards Ashkelon at 21:45 local time on 3 February 2026. Military analysis traced trajectories to Hamas Jabaliya Battalion controlled sectors. Response operations commenced 45 minutes later targeting verified launch positions.
Ceasefire agreement signed 18 November 2025 included provisions prohibiting offensive rocket fire and requiring Hamas dismantle border launch infrastructure. Previous violations resulted in 72-hour standstills for technical investigations. Qatari mediators verified compliance through 127 monitoring reports since activation.
Who Were Among the Casualties Reported from Gaza Strikes?
Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra listed 21 confirmed deaths including nine women and seven children under 16. Zeitoun strike killed Mohamed Abu Risha 42, his wife Amal 38, and four children aged 4-12. Khan Younis casualties included elderly sisters Fatima 67 and Huda 64 residing near targeted tunnel.
Rafah deaths comprised three teenage brothers struck while retrieving water containers. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital received 32 wounded with shrapnel injuries and blast trauma. Paediatric cases represented 41% of admissions per hospital logs.
What Military Assets Did Israel Deploy in Gaza Operations?
F-16I Sufa fighters delivered GBU-39 small diameter bombs against Zeitoun targets maintaining 15,000ft altitudes. Apache AH-64 helicopters provided close air support with Hellfire missiles for Khan Younis engagements. M270 MLRS systems fired precision-guided rockets at Rafah positions.
IDF drone feeds confirmed secondary explosions indicating ammunition stores detonation. Electronic warfare aircraft jammed Hamas communications during 90-minute operation window. Ground forces maintained buffer positions without crossing ceasefire lines.
Where Did Palestinian Authorities Report Receiving Strike Victims?
Shifa Hospital emergency department activated mass casualty protocols receiving 19 patients from Zeitoun neighbourhood. Nasser Hospital Khan Younis treated 12 casualties including blast lung injuries requiring ventilation support. European Gaza Hospital Rafah admitted five moderate cases with orthopaedic fractures.
Indonesian Hospital northern Gaza prepared overflow capacity anticipating additional wounded arrivals. Primary care clinics stabilised 28 walking wounded before hospital transfers. Blood banks issued urgent O-negative appeals filling shortages from winter stockpiles.
Why Did Israel Cite Hamas Ceasefire Violations as Strike Justification?
IDF intelligence identified rocket launchers positioned 800 metres from civilian shelters violating agreement spacing requirements. Thermal signatures preceded launch detections confirming Hamas tactical units activation. Post-strike battle damage assessments verified 70% target destruction rates.
Ceasefire technical committee recorded 14 prior violations attributing seven to Hamas northern battalions. Israeli demands included permanent demilitarised zones extending 3km from border fence. Hamas countered requesting eased Rafah crossing restrictions for reconstruction materials.
How Did Hamas Respond to Israeli Airstrike Claims?
Hamas military spokesperson Abu Obaida stated rockets responded to Israeli settler marches approaching Gaza fence. Group denied command centre operations in residential districts maintaining civilian separation protocols. Political bureau called strikes collective punishment violating humanitarian truce clauses.
Qassam Brigades field updates reported two operatives wounded during Zeitoun withdrawal manoeuvres. Hamas accused Israel launching preemptive attacks to derail hostage negotiations. Ceasefire monitoring team requested Qatar-Turkey intervention for de-escalation hotline activation.
What Role Did International Mediators Play Post-Strikes?
Egyptian intelligence director General Abbas Kamel convened emergency Cairo consultations with Hamas delegates. Qatari Prime Minister held video conference with Israeli Security Cabinet assessing violation scope. US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk issued statement calling calendar reset on violation clock.
UN Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Tor Wennesland reported to Security Council on 4 February monitoring compliance. Red Cross facilitated safe casualty transfers across Erez crossing. Arab League emergency session scheduled Damascus addressing escalation risks.
When Were Previous Gaza Ceasefire Violations Documented?
3 January 2026 drone incursion from Gaza killed one Israeli farmer prompting 48-hour artillery responses. 19 December 2025 mortar attack wounded four soldiers near Kerem Shalom crossing. November 2025 tunnel breach attempt intercepted by IDF engineering units.
Ceasefire verification mechanism processed 41 incidents attributing 23 to Israeli overflights and 18 to Palestinian fire violations. Standstill periods averaged 36 hours pending investigations. Permanent violations threshold required three consecutive breaches triggering full suspension.
Which Gaza Infrastructure Suffered Collateral Damage?
Zeitoun water pumping station lost power from adjacent strike halting supply to 40,000 residents. Khan Younis bakery compound sustained shrapnel damage disrupting 8,000 daily loaves production. Rafah solar farm panels fractured reducing hospital electricity generation 22%.
Civil Defence reported three ambulance fire trucks destroyed during Nasser Hospital response operations. Primary school in Beit Hanoun received window damage from pressure wave affecting 650 students. UNRWA warehouses lost 17 tonnes flour stocks to secondary fires.
What Humanitarian Impact Followed Israeli Gaza Operations?
UNRWA reported 12,000 displaced from Zeitoun buffer zone expansion. World Food Programme suspended Khan Younis distributions citing access denials. WHO recorded medicine shortages reaching 72-hour critical thresholds at Nasser Hospital.
OCHA Protection Cluster documented 41 unaccompanied minors separated during evacuation movements. Shelter Cluster activated winter tent distributions for 3,200 affected households. Nutrition Cluster flagged elevated acute malnutrition rates among under-fives post-disruption.
How Many Casualties Recorded Since Ceasefire Activation?
Gaza Health Ministry tallied 1,247 total deaths since 18 November 2025 ceasefire including 784 civilians. Israeli sources reported 43 military fatalities and 19 civilian deaths from Gaza fire. Ceasefire period averaged 4.2 deaths daily versus 89 pre-truce.
Hospital functionality dropped to 41% capacity nationwide due to fuel and medicine constraints. Ambulance response times increased 240% due to security restrictions. Mass grave exhumations completed at Shifa recovering 187 bodies for identification.
What Diplomatic Channels Addressed Latest Gaza Escalation?
White House National Security Council convened deputies committee assessing strike proportionality. Quartet representatives issued joint statement recommitting ceasefire architecture preservation. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas scheduled Cairo-Ramallah consultations.
Egypt-Jordan summit communique demanded immediate de-escalation restoring humanitarian access. Turkey Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted Hamas political bureau consultations in Ankara. Saudi Arabia delivered message through UAE channels urging restraint.
Which Military Capabilities Demonstrated in Recent Strikes?
Israel deployed Rampage supersonic missiles marking first operational use against Gaza targets. Iron Dome batteries achieved 91% interception rate against 17 retaliatory rockets. David's Sling system engaged three drones launched from Rafah perimeter.
Hamas fielded Iranian-supplied J-90 rockets with 140km ranges targeting Ashdod port facilities. Anti-tank guided missiles struck IDF armoured bulldozers during engineering works. Maritime drones attempted Ashkelon coastal approaches intercepted by naval laser systems.
Where Do Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanisms Operate?
Qatar-Turkey Joint Monitoring Centre processes real-time data feeds from Gaza sensors. Egyptian Rafah crossing cameras verify equipment movements under agreement terms. US satellite reconnaissance validates declared demilitarisation zones weekly.
Israeli sea-based radars monitor maritime smuggling routes 24km offshore. Drone overflights limited to 10,000ft altitudes during compliance verification windows. Ground sensors detect tunnelling vibrations beneath buffer zone perimeters.
What Reconstruction Projects Affected by Renewed Hostilities?
Gaza Reconstruction Committee halted 14 water infrastructure projects serving 180,000 residents. UNRWA school rehabilitations suspended impacting 92 facilities educating 67,000 students. Solar power installations ceased at 19 hospitals restoring emergency capacity.
Qatari-funded housing compounds evacuated 2,800 families from border proximity zones. World Bank road resurfacing contracts terminated midway covering 47km thoroughfares. Electricity grid reinforcements delayed indefinitely pending security clearances.
Israeli airstrikes maintain pressure on Hamas infrastructure while ceasefire mechanisms strain under repeated violations. Gaza medical facilities operate under extreme duress treating mounting casualties. International diplomacy intensifies seeking durable de-escalation pathways.