Israeli strikes pounded Gaza City during a ground raid on Tuesday, killing at least four Palestinians, including two children, as the IDF continues its constant violations of the October 2025 ceasefire deal.
Initial Israeli reports said the ground raid may have been carried out by an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said in a statement that it was conducted by Shin Bet and the IDF.
The Israelis claim they detained a senior Hamas official during the raid, while Ismail al-Thawabta, the head of Gaza’s Government Media Office, said an Israeli special force tried to carry out a ground raid but was detected, according to Reuters.
Thawabta said that once the raid was detected, Israel launched heavy airstrikes in the area, and witnesses told Reuters that 12 missiles hit an area west of Gaza City that is crowded with displaced families. At least two vehicles were destroyed in the strikes. Israeli strikes also hit central Gaza on Tuesday, killing another child, bringing Tuesday’s death toll to at least five.
Netanyahu claimed the Hamas official detained by Israeli forces “was responsible for concealing and transporting our hostages, for sheltering senior Hamas figures, and for military buildup and attempts to restore the capabilities of the terror organization.”
The raid marks an escalation of Israel’s military operations in Gaza despite the US and the so-called “Board of Peace” announcing that Hamas had agreed to a deal to give up its weapons. Trump said on August 17 that Israel should stop bombing Gaza because Hamas agreed to lay down its arms, but the same day, Netanyahu met with Jared Kushner, and the meeting ended with an agreement that Israel would continue its attacks.
According to the latest numbers from Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,326 Palestinians and wounded 4,398 since the so-called ceasefire deal was signed in October 2025.
