Israeli strikes have killed civilians across Gaza almost daily this week, including a strike Wednesday that killed one person in a tent in Khan Younis, continuing a pattern that has drawn criticism even as the U.S. has pushed Israel to scale back attacks.
This Week’s Toll
An Israeli strike destroyed an aid supply warehouse on August 25, killing seven people. A day earlier, a strike hit a water plant and warehouse in Gaza, also killing at least seven. On August 24, four people, including two children, were killed in strikes that came just a week after the U.S. had asked Israel to curb its attacks in the territory. Wednesday’s strike in Khan Younis, which Palestinian media said killed one person, came with the Israeli military telling reporters the target was a militant.
A Ceasefire Framework Under Strain
The strikes have continued despite a U.S.-backed disarmament and stabilization framework for Gaza. The framework’s own Gaza envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, has publicly criticized Israel for continuing strikes that he says violate the plan, and has separately said Israel isn’t allowing sufficient shelter equipment into the territory even as humanitarian conditions have improved compared to last year’s declared famine.
Where Things Stand
Israel maintains its strikes are targeting Hamas operatives rather than civilians, while Palestinian officials and aid groups continue to report civilian deaths in nearly every strike. The gap between those two accounts, and the continued strikes despite the framework meant to wind down the conflict, has left the ceasefire’s durability in question.
