GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL – On Thursday, October 9, 2025, the Israeli military conducted a series of deadly strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least nine Palestinians and injuring dozens more, in direct violation of a newly brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The attacks, which spanned northern, central, and southern Gaza, involved air raids, artillery bombardments, small arms fire, and smoke bombs, targeting civilians and residential areas. The violence has raised serious questions about the fragility of the ceasefire, which was announced at dawn on Thursday following four days of indirect negotiations mediated by Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Northern Gaza: Devastation in Gaza City
In Gaza City, the epicenter of the attacks, an Israeli airstrike obliterated a residential home in the city center, killing three Palestinians, including two women, and injuring several others. According to local witnesses and medical officials, many people remain missing, potentially trapped under the rubble. The strike caused widespread destruction, with debris scattered across the area, further compounding the challenges faced by rescue teams already stretched thin by ongoing violence.
Warplanes also targeted the Zeitoun, Sabra, and al-Nafaq Street neighborhoods in Gaza City. While no casualties were reported in these specific bombings, the relentless attacks left residents in a state of constant fear. The sound of explosions echoed through the city, and plumes of smoke were visible from multiple locations, signaling the intensity of the bombardment.
In a particularly harrowing incident, Israeli drones opened fire on internally displaced Palestinians sheltering at Yarmouk School in western Gaza City. The attack wounded several people, adding to the growing toll of civilian casualties. The school, like many others in Gaza, has become a makeshift refuge for families displaced by the ongoing conflict, making the targeting of such a location particularly egregious.
In the southeast district of Al-Zaytoun, four Palestinians were injured due to heavy artillery shelling. The bombardment caused significant damage to infrastructure, with smoke rising from the targeted areas, visible from miles away. Throughout Gaza City, Israeli military vehicles maintained sustained gunfire from various positions, while ground troops maneuvered in the vicinity, further escalating tensions in the densely populated urban area.
Late Thursday evening, another devastating attack struck a house in the Sabra district. The bombardment killed four members of a single family, and Palestinian Civil Defense sources, along with medical officials, reported that approximately 40 people remain trapped under the rubble. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but the scale of destruction and limited resources are hampering operations. An Anadolu correspondent on the ground noted that Israeli strikes intensified across Gaza as night fell, plunging the region into further chaos.
Central and Southern Gaza: Civilian Casualties Mount
In central Gaza, northwest of the Nuseirat refugee camp, Israeli gunfire wounded several Palestinians attempting to travel from the south to the north along Al-Rashid Street. The road, a critical artery for movement within the Strip, has become increasingly dangerous for civilians seeking to reunite with families or access humanitarian aid. The wounded were rushed to nearby medical facilities, but the lack of adequate medical supplies and overwhelmed hospitals continue to exacerbate the crisis.
In the southern city of Khan Younis, the Israeli military targeted a civilian gathering in the Al-Biyuk neighborhood, killing one man. The attack occurred without warning, leaving residents in shock and mourning. In a separate incident in Khan Younis, artillery fire struck a civilian group in the Hamd residential area, resulting in the death of a woman and multiple injuries. Details of the injuries remain limited due to the chaotic situation and restricted access for medical teams.
Further east, near the Bani Suhaila roundabout, Israeli bombing targeted another group of civilians, causing additional injuries. The exact number of casualties in this attack is still unclear, as communication lines in the area have been disrupted, and emergency response teams struggle to reach the affected areas. These attacks in southern Gaza highlight the widespread nature of the Israeli offensive, which has spared no region of the enclave.
Ceasefire Agreement Undermined
The wave of attacks comes despite a ceasefire agreement announced early Thursday, following intensive negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh. The talks, mediated by Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, aimed to halt the violence that has plagued Gaza for years. The agreement was seen as a potential turning point, offering hope for a cessation of hostilities and a pathway toward reconstruction and stability in the war-torn region.
On September 29, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan for Gaza, which formed the basis for the ceasefire negotiations. The plan includes the release of all Israeli captives held in Gaza in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. The second phase of the plan proposes the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza, excluding Hamas, and the creation of a security force composed of Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic countries. It also calls for the disarmament of Hamas and significant funding from Arab and Islamic nations for the reconstruction of Gaza, with limited involvement from the Palestinian Authority.
While the plan has been broadly welcomed by Arab and Muslim countries, many officials have emphasized that key details require further discussion and negotiation to ensure effective implementation. The ceasefire agreement, which was meant to build on this framework, appears to have been undermined by Thursday’s attacks, raising concerns about the commitment of all parties to uphold the terms of the deal.
A History of Devastation
The latest violence adds to the staggering toll of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in Gaza. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, according to local health authorities. The relentless bombardment has rendered much of the Gaza Strip uninhabitable, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, critical infrastructure destroyed, and essential services such as water, electricity, and healthcare virtually nonexistent.
The targeting of civilian areas, including schools, hospitals, and residential neighborhoods, has drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations. The United Nations and other global bodies have repeatedly called for an end to the violence and for all parties to respect international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with over 1.9 million people—nearly the entire population—displaced from their homes. Humanitarian aid deliveries have been severely restricted, exacerbating shortages of food, medicine, and clean water. The international community has struggled to respond effectively to the crisis, with political divisions and logistical challenges hindering relief efforts.
International Reactions and the Path Forward
The renewed violence has sparked outrage among Palestinian officials and residents, who see the attacks as a betrayal of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, has called for international intervention to hold Israel accountable for what it describes as “ongoing aggression.” Meanwhile, Israeli officials have justified the strikes, claiming they were targeting “militant infrastructure” and responding to security threats.
The mediators of the ceasefire—Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States—have yet to issue a formal response to Thursday’s attacks. However, diplomatic sources suggest that urgent discussions are underway to salvage the agreement and prevent further escalation. The international community faces immense pressure to act swiftly to restore calm and ensure that the ceasefire is respected.
For the people of Gaza, the latest wave of violence is yet another chapter in a long history of suffering. Families are mourning the loss of loved ones, while rescue workers and medical teams work tirelessly under impossible conditions. The destruction of homes and infrastructure has left thousands without shelter, and the psychological toll on the population, particularly children, is immeasurable.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the international community must grapple with the challenge of enforcing the ceasefire and addressing the root causes of the conflict. The 20-point plan, while ambitious, faces significant hurdles, including the question of governance in Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. Without meaningful progress on these issues, the cycle of violence is likely to persist, leaving the people of Gaza to bear the brunt of a conflict they did not choose.
The events of Thursday underscore the fragility of peace in the region and the urgent need for all parties to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy over military action. For now, the people of Gaza remain caught in the crossfire, their hopes for a better future overshadowed by the specter of continued violence.
