Israeli occupation forces killed at least four Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip on Sunday, including 13-year-old Eileen al-Farra. She died from shrapnel wounds after tank shelling in southern Gaza. These strikes occurred despite a fragile ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025, underscoring the ongoing violence against the Palestinian population under occupation. Local health officials reported that an initial strike hit a group of people in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya, killing two and wounding another. Another Israeli strike in southern Gaza claimed the life of a man, according to health officials at Nasser hospital.
The Gaza Health Ministry, operating under the Hamas-led government, has documented a devastating toll. More than 73,050 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023. This figure includes over 1,040 Palestinians killed since the October 2025 ceasefire went into effect. The ministry's detailed casualty records are widely considered reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts; they indicate that women and children constitute approximately half of all deaths. Israel’s military offered no immediate comment on Sunday’s specific strikes. They generally state that they target Hamas and other militants perceived as threats, acting in response to alleged ceasefire violations. However, the facts on the ground often tell a different story of systematic collective punishment.
The Shifting Occupation Strategy
Reporting from The Jerusalem Post reveals a significant shift in Israel's targeting strategy across all fronts, including Gaza. The publication noted that Israel, which was once engaged in conflict in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, now operates under a broad ceasefire, yet announced attacks on all three fronts on Sunday. In Gaza, the Israeli military announced more attacks on Hamas, with the Post observing a change in the profile of those targeted. Previously, at the start of the US-brokered Gaza deal in October 2025, Israel was reportedly very strict, only targeting Hamas fighters who approached its soldiers. This approach has clearly changed.
The Post indicated that the Hamas fighter killed on Sunday was not a figure known for involvement in the October 7, 2023, attack, but rather an operative who had stolen an IDF vehicle that day. Crucially, this individual was reportedly driving, armed, around the center of Hamas-run areas, far from the border or Israeli troops. This expanded targeting suggests Israel is running out of what it considers "quality targets" in Gaza, having killed numerous senior and mid-level Hamas officials. The new strategy appears to involve targeting almost anyone connected to Hamas and carrying a weapon, regardless of rank or whether they pose an immediate threat. This broadens the scope of military occupation and its impact on the civilian population.
U.S. Complicity and a Fragile Ceasefire's Toll
The Trump administration has reportedly granted Israel "carte blanche" to kill Hamas officials in Gaza from the air, provided it avoids large civilian casualties and a ground invasion. This diplomatic and military backing from the United States enables Israel's continued operations against Palestinians. The ceasefire deal, which marked its first anniversary recently, has done little to halt the systematic violence against Palestinians. While the heaviest fighting has eased, Palestinians continue to report new casualties almost daily. In stark contrast to the Palestinian death toll, Israel has reported five soldiers killed since the ceasefire began.
Hamas, for its part, has been accused of dragging its feet on even partial disarmament since the ceasefire's inception, ignoring a 100-day deadline for progress. The Board of Peace reportedly made a more accommodating offer to initiate partial disarmament, but Hamas allegedly "still played games." Israel hopes that more aggressive airstrikes, like those seen on Sunday, might pressure Hamas into beginning a disarmament process, even as Palestinian civilians bear the brunt of these actions, living under constant threat within the occupied territory.