Israeli Airstrikes Kill 30 Palestinians Ahead of Rafah Reopening
Hospitals in Gaza said Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 killed at least 30 Palestinians, including six children, ahead of the Rafah crossing reopening on Oct. 27.
Overview
Hospitals in Gaza said Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 killed at least 30 Palestinians, including six children, and struck an apartment building, a Khan Younis tent camp and a Gaza City police station.
The strikes came a day before the Rafah crossing's planned Oct. 27 reopening, a limited step in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire's second phase, officials and mediators said.
Israel's military said it struck four commanders, weapons storage and manufacturing sites and two Hamas launch sites in response to alleged ceasefire violations, according to an IDF statement.
Gaza's Health Ministry said the violence raised the enclave's toll to at least 520 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the Oct. 10, 2025 ceasefire and a cumulative 71,667 deaths since Oct. 7, 2023, records show.
Mediators said the second phase requires demilitarizing the strip and installing a new government to oversee reconstruction, a process Egypt and Qatar warned could be jeopardized by continued strikes.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this story without overt editorial framing: they foreground verified casualty reports, attribute claims to named institutions (hospitals, Gaza Health Ministry), include Israeli military statements and anonymous official disclaimers, and label Hamas-linked agencies as such. The coverage balances human impact and official claims, limiting evaluative language.
Sources (12)
FAQ
The strikes targeted an apartment building, a tent camp in Khan Younis, a police station in Gaza City, four Hamas commanders, weapons storage and manufacturing sites, and two Hamas launch sites.
Israel stated the strikes were in response to alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas.
The Rafah crossing reopened on February 1, 2026, for tests, with limited pedestrian passage of about 150 people per day starting February 2, 2026, coordinated by Israel, Egypt, and the EU.
The second phase requires demilitarizing Gaza and installing a new government to oversee reconstruction.
Gaza's Health Ministry reported at least 520 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the October 10, 2025 ceasefire, and a cumulative 71,667 deaths since October 7, 2023.
History
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