Palestinian Officials Say Israeli Strike Kills Two Children In Gaza City Apartment

At least two children were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment in Gaza City early Saturday, according to Palestinian health officials, in an attack that has further intensified concerns over continued violence despite an earlier ceasefire agreement. The strike reportedly hit a residential building around 2 a.m. local time, the Gaza Health Ministry said. Rescue teams were still searching through the debris for possible additional victims, raising fears that the death toll could rise.

There was no immediate confirmation on the number of injured in the incident. The bodies of the two victims, identified as sisters Zina, aged 4, and Lana, aged 14, were taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. According to reports, they were placed in the morgue wrapped in white shrouds, where grieving family members gathered as medical staff documented the casualties.

A cousin of the victims, Mohammad Safadi, who was also injured in the blast, described the suddenness of the attack. He said the rocket struck without warning while the family was inside their home, leaving multiple relatives wounded and the apartment heavily damaged. He questioned the effectiveness of the ceasefire, saying civilians continued to bear the brunt of ongoing violence.

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The Israeli military did not immediately issue a detailed statement on the incident but said it was reviewing the reports. Israel has consistently stated that its operations target Hamas and other militant groups it considers security threats, while Palestinian authorities maintain that residential areas continue to be affected by strikes.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run administration, has reported more than 1,000 Palestinian deaths since an October ceasefire agreement, claiming that many of the victims are civilians, including women and children. The ministry’s figures are widely cited by international organisations, although it does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.

The latest strike adds to growing international concern over the fragility of the ceasefire and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where repeated attacks have continued to impact civilian infrastructure, hospitals and residential neighbourhoods. Emergency crews continue to work through rubble in several areas of Gaza City as fears persist of further escalation.

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