An eight-year-old girl was among at least eight Palestinians killed by Israeli forces across Gaza on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera, as the first anniversary of a US-brokered ceasefire passed.
It wasn't quiet. Health officials said Israeli strikes killed at least five people in two separate attacks. Medics said one strike killed four people near Panda Mall in Gaza City, while another killed one person in the Tuffah neighbourhood, further south in the city. The Israeli military said both strikes targeted militants but offered no further information.
Civilian Toll
The past year’s numbers tell a story the word “ceasefire” doesn’t quite capture. Gaza health officials said Israeli fire had killed at least 1,400 Palestinians since the truce was agreed last October. Middle East Eye put the figure at more than 1,400 killed in what it called ongoing Israeli attacks during the year since the truce. Israel said militants in Gaza had killed four of its soldiers over the same period.
The broader toll is staggering. Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage. Since then, Israel’s bombardment and ground operations in Gaza have killed more than 74,000 people, according to Gaza health officials. This week marked the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
A Truce Stalled
Israel has stepped up strikes against Hamas in recent weeks, saying the group has been rearming and carrying out attacks in violation of the ceasefire. Hamas denies rebuilding its arsenal or planning attacks, and accuses Israel of undermining the truce. Each side points at the other. Civilians bear the consequences.
The agreement calls for the territory’s eventual reconstruction. Little progress has followed toward a deal that would end the conflict, including terms for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its troops. Without movement on those terms, the ceasefire exists largely on paper, and the strikes continue.
The Humanitarian Picture
Against that backdrop, the United Arab Emirates began airlifting food aid to Gaza on Friday under the newly launched Ahmed bin Rashid Humanitarian Bridge, aiming to supply more than 10 million meals to Palestinians. Flights carrying food parcels left from Al Maktoum International Airport, launched by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
The initiative honours Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid, brother of Dubai’s ruler, who died on September 21 and was known for his generosity and philanthropy. Volunteers, community members and admirers gathered at Dubai World Trade Centre to prepare aid packages for families and children in Gaza.
The bridge will move aid by air and sea in seven consignments: six flights carrying 450 tonnes of food parcels and one vessel transporting 4,000 tonnes of supplies to meet basic nutrition needs. Hammoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, said the bridge augmented the UAE’s humanitarian efforts. “The launch of flights under the Ahmed bin Rashid Humanitarian Bridge reflects the high level of efficiency and expertise of the Emirati teams involved in Operation Chivalrous Knight 3,” he said.
Al Afari said the operation, launched in November 2023 under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed, had served as a lifeline for Palestinians throughout the conflict. He said the continuity and geographical reach of its assistance had helped large segments of the population cope with difficult living conditions.
The scale is considerable. Since November 2023, the UAE has provided more than $4 billion in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, accounting for 46 per cent of global humanitarian aid since 2023. That included 130,708 tonnes of relief, medical and food supplies delivered by 796 aircraft, 25 ships and 14,483 lorries.
Why This Matters: A ceasefire that still allows roughly 1,400 Palestinian deaths in a year, and the killing of a child on its anniversary, isn't delivering the protection civilians were promised. Aid shipments like the UAE’s can ease hunger, but food parcels won’t resolve the underlying stalemate. The agreement’s core terms, Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, remain unimplemented, and reconstruction hasn’t begun in earnest. Israel’s security concerns are real, as the four soldiers killed since the truce show. So is the cost to Gaza’s civilians. Until the political terms of the deal move forward, humanitarian relief will keep chasing a crisis that continued violence keeps renewing.