Israeli strikes in southern and central Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians, including two children, according to health officials cited by the Associated Press, adding new strain to a ceasefire that has remained fragile in practice.

The reported strikes hit areas including Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Casualty details were provided by local health officials and hospitals, including Nasser Hospital. AP reported that more than 20 people were wounded.

The Israeli military said one strike targeted a militant, but did not provide a full explanation for each reported civilian death. That gap matters because the article’s central casualty claim rests on health and hospital reporting, while the military account remains partial.

Gaza’s health system has been repeatedly damaged during the war, but its casualty figures are still widely used by international agencies and news organisations, often with attribution to the Hamas-run health ministry or named hospitals. In sensitive conflict reporting, those figures should be presented with clear sourcing and updated before publication.

The strikes come despite a ceasefire announced in October 2025. Israel has continued to carry out strikes it says respond to militant activity or ceasefire violations. Palestinians and humanitarian groups say civilians continue to bear the cost of a conflict that has repeatedly moved through cycles of ceasefire, violation claims and renewed attacks.

The immediate facts are narrow but consequential: civilians, including children, were reported killed; Israel has not publicly accounted for every strike cited by health officials; and the broader diplomatic effort remains vulnerable to each new casualty report.