DEIR EL-BALAH – In a disconcerting escalation of violence, Israel’s military launched airstrikes against Hamas militants in Gaza on Saturday, challenging the fragile ceasefire that had been in place since October 10. Health officials in Gaza have confirmed that at least 24 people lost their lives, with an additional 54 individuals injured, many of whom are children.

This latest military action unfolds as the international community intensifies its focus on Gaza. On Monday, the U.N. Security Council endorsed a U.S.-proposed plan aimed at securing and governing the territory. This comprehensive blueprint includes the deployment of an international stabilization force to ensure security and outlines a transitional authority under the oversight of President Donald Trump. The plan also envisions a potential path towards establishing an independent Palestinian state in the future.

Historically, Israel has responded with similar military actions following attacks on its forces. Just earlier this week, at least 33 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, were killed over a 12-hour span between Wednesday and Thursday, as reported by health officials.

Among the strikes on Saturday, a particularly devastating attack targeted a vehicle in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals and injuries to over 20. Rami Mhanna, managing director of Shifa Hospital, confirmed that most of the injured were children. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the hospital director, described the scene of the incident, where the vehicle was left charred and its top blown off, as captured in Associated Press footage.

Further strikes included an attack near Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza, killing at least three people and injuring 11 more. Additionally, a strike on a house in the Nuseirat camp led to the deaths of at least seven individuals, including a child, and left 16 wounded.

In another grim incident, a strike on a house in Deir al-Balah resulted in the deaths of three people, including a woman, as reported by Al-Aqsa Hospital. These incidents underscore the ongoing volatility and human toll in the region, as efforts to stabilize and navigate towards peace remain fraught with challenges.

“Suddenly, I heard a powerful explosion. I looked outside and saw smoke covering the entire area. I couldn’t see a thing. I covered my ears and started shouting to the others in the tent to run,” said Khalil Abu Hatab in Deir al-Balah. “When I looked again, I realized the upper floor of my neighbor’s house was gone.”

He added: “It’s a fragile ceasefire. This is not a life we can live. There’s no safe place.”

Israel’s military in a statement said it launched attacks against Hamas after an “armed terrorist” crossed into an Israeli-held area and shot at troops in southern Gaza. It said no soldiers were hurt. The military said the person had used a road on which humanitarian aid enters the territory, and called it an “extreme violation” of the ceasefire.

In separate statements, the military said soldiers killed five “terrorists” in the Rafah area, and two others after firing at four people who crossed into Israeli-held areas in northern Gaza and advanced toward soldiers in two separate incidents.

The war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people and took over 250 hostage. Almost all of the hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says 69,733 Palestinians have been killed and 170,863 injured in Israel’s retaliatory offensive. The toll has gone up during the ceasefire both from new Israeli strikes and from the recovery and identification of bodies of people killed earlier in the war.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures but has said women and children make up a majority of those killed. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

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Find more of AP’s Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war