Gaza Ceasefire Holds as Israeli Strikes and Reported Deaths Continue

What changed

Israeli strikes and reported civilian deaths have continued in Gaza despite a ceasefire that stopped large-scale bombardment and increased humanitarian aid and medical supplies. More than 30 people were reported killed in the past week, and more than 1,400 since the ceasefire began on 10 October last year, while the wider peace agreement has stalled.

Why it matters

A ceasefire that still brings daily shootings is not peace for families living in tents. Fida al-Toutah, a 31-year-old mother of five, died on 21 September from a reported gunshot wound. Her family said she was hit inside their tent. Four of her siblings have now been killed since the war began.

The same day, 14-year-old Ismail al-Bardawil was reportedly shot near Rafah while fishing with his brothers close to shore. More than 300 children have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire began.

The circumstances of both shootings remain disputed. The Israeli Defense Forces say they target Hamas operatives, accuse Hamas of violating the ceasefire, and say they have no record or information about either incident. That dispute matters because the ceasefire’s survival depends on whether violence is treated as an exception to contain or as proof that the agreement is hollow.

For Gaza’s 2.1 million people, repeated displacement has turned “safety” into a destination they keep being told to reach but never do. The large-scale bombardment stopping brought real relief, but the reported deaths show how narrow that relief remains.

The wider war’s reported death toll has passed 74,000. Unless the stalled peace agreement moves forward, the ceasefire may continue to reduce the scale of destruction without ending the danger that follows families from one temporary shelter to the next.