Israeli Air Strikes Kill Four in Gaza City Amid Clashes With Armed Men

At least four Palestinians, including children, were killed in Gaza City on Tuesday when Israeli forces carried out air strikes following clashes between armed men and Hamas militants, according to Palestinian officials and witnesses.

Residents reported loud explosions, gunfire, and helicopter activity over the city during what appeared to be an Israeli military operation. The violence unfolded near the American Field Hospital, where witnesses said armed men attempting to enter the area were confronted by Hamas militants before Israeli aircraft struck.

Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of Gaza's Hamas-run government media office, said an Israeli special forces unit attempted a "security operation" in Gaza City but failed, claiming several Israeli soldiers were killed. The Israeli military said its forces struck targets to remove threats to its troops but did not provide details on the clashes.

Shifa Hospital director Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya confirmed that two children and a woman were among the dead, with seven others wounded, some critically. In a separate incident in central Gaza, Israeli troops killed a child in Deir al-Balah after firing on a group of people, according to officials at Al-Aqsa Hospital. Four others, including a child, were wounded there.

A displaced resident, Abu Abdallah, described the chaos: "The water truck arrived. As soon as we started filling the containers and moving them, the shooting began... Everyone there filling containers was a child." He added that as missiles fell, "children were lying everywhere."

The strikes come despite a ceasefire that has significantly reduced fighting in Gaza since October. Gaza health officials say Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,320 Palestinians since the truce began.