5-year-old and her uncle killed in airstrike in Gaza as Israel says it targeted an imminent threat

Israeli airstrikes killed a 5-year-old girl and her uncle in Gaza on Monday when a tent housing displaced Palestinians was hit, according to hospital officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

The strike occurred in the Muwasi area northwest of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where many displaced Palestinians have sought shelter during the ongoing conflict. Two other children were wounded in the attack, hospital officials confirmed as grieving family members mourned over the bodies of their loved ones.

The Israeli military stated on social media that it had targeted a Hamas militant who was allegedly planning an imminent attack on Israeli troops in southern Gaza. Military officials claimed the strike was conducted in compliance with the October ceasefire agreement and was “targeted” to minimize civilian casualties. However, the military did not explicitly confirm whether this statement referred to the tent strike that killed the civilians.

These deaths add to the mounting civilian toll since the ceasefire began on October 10. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 422 Palestinians have been killed in the period following the ceasefire implementation. The ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government but is widely regarded as maintaining reliable casualty records, also reported that 1,189 people have been wounded during this same timeframe.

In a grim addition to these figures, recovery teams have discovered the bodies of another 684 people buried in Gaza’s rubble since the ceasefire began, highlighting the devastating aftermath of intense bombardment throughout the 14-month conflict.

The overall death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has now reached at least 71,388 Palestinians, with an additional 171,269 wounded, according to ministry data. These figures reflect the catastrophic humanitarian impact of a conflict that began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Monday’s violence was not limited to Gaza. The Israeli military also announced it had commenced strikes against Hezbollah and Hamas targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, citing “continued ceasefire violations” as justification. These operations come at a sensitive time, just days before Lebanon’s army commander is scheduled to brief the government on plans to disarm Hezbollah in border areas adjacent to Israel.

The Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which ran parallel to the Gaza war for over a year, officially ended with a ceasefire agreement in November 2024. Despite this accord, Israel continues to control portions of Lebanese territory and has conducted multiple strikes against Hezbollah positions, accusing the Iran-backed group of attempting to rearm and rebuild its military infrastructure.

The persistence of violence despite formal ceasefire agreements has raised international concerns about the fragility of peace efforts in the region. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for stronger enforcement of ceasefire terms and increased protection for civilians caught in conflict zones.

The Muwasi area, where Monday’s deadly strike occurred, had previously been designated as a humanitarian zone during earlier phases of the conflict. Many displaced Palestinians continue to live in makeshift shelters and tents across Gaza, with limited access to basic necessities after more than a year of war that has devastated the territory’s infrastructure and economy.

As recovery efforts continue throughout Gaza, the challenges of rebuilding amid ongoing security concerns and severely limited resources remain daunting for the enclave’s 2.3 million residents.