Israeli occupation forces carried out fresh attacks across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, adding to the already staggering human toll of the ongoing genocide.
Medical sources confirmed that nine Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours — four victims recovered from rubble in Gaza City, three killed in Khan Younis under artillery and naval fire, and two struck in Rafah displacement camps.
At least 45 others were injured, while civil defense teams reported that many remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Sunday’s Strikes:
- Gaza City: Four bodies were pulled from rubble after overnight bombardments.
- Khan Younis: Three Palestinians were killed as artillery and naval fire destroyed homes and farmland; fishermen were detained.
- Rafah: Two people were killed in strikes on displacement camps, leaving families without shelter.
Hospitals across Gaza reported severe strain, with emergency wards overwhelmed and supplies critically low.
In related news, the Israeli navy abducted four Palestinian fishermen near the shoe of Khan Younis, and took them to an unknown destination.
The four abducted fishermen have been identified as Abdul-‘Al Hamada Najjar, Fuad No’man Najjar, Mahmoud Nash’at Abu Salmiya and Mohammad Rida Al-Mobasher.
|Israeli bulldozer crushing of a wounded child exemplifies horrific killing pattern in Gaza|
Furthermore, a Palestinian child was injured by Israeli navy fire near the shore of Rafah city; medical sources said the girl suffered moderate wounds.
Humanitarian Collapse:
Aid agencies warn that Israel continues to block shelter materials and fuel, leaving more than a million displaced Palestinians exposed to harsh winter conditions.
The recent storm Byron destroyed tents and makeshift shelters, compounding the suffering of families already stripped of basic necessities.
Ambulance crews are frequently denied access to strike zones, forcing civilians to carry the wounded by hand.
Medical staff describe conditions as “beyond collapse,” with hospitals operating without electricity, clean water, or essential medicines.
Political Context:
Rights groups accuse Israel of committing systematic war crimes, citing deliberate targeting of civilians and denial of humanitarian aid.
The assassination of Hamas commander Raed Sa’id Sa’ad, a day earlier, has further strained the fragile ceasefire, with Hamas condemning the killing as a “criminal violation.”
On Sunday, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has confirmed Sa’ad’s death.
In its statement, the Brigades described Sa’ad as one of its senior leaders and a member of the General Military Council.
He was killed on Saturday, December 13, 2025, along with several fighters, in what the group called a “cowardly assassination” carried out by Israeli forces in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
‼️Yesterday, Palestinian child Wissam Badran was the sole survivor pulled from beneath concrete walls and twisted iron after his family home collapsed in Beit al-Naʿja, north of the Gaza Strip, following heavy rainfall that struck a structure already severely damaged by the… pic.twitter.com/HdNcO4uU6K
— Translating Falasteen (Palestine) (@translatingpal) December 13, 2025
The Brigades accused Israel of “crossing all red lines” through its ongoing assassinations and daily attacks across Gaza, and said such actions disregard international mediation efforts.
It placed responsibility on U.S. officials and mediators for failing to stop what it described as repeated violations against the Palestinian people and their leaders.
The group stressed that it reserves the right to respond and defend itself “by all means.”
Al-Qassam further announced that a new commander has been appointed to assume Saad’s responsibilities, affirming that the assassination of leaders will not halt its operations.
Instead, it vowed that “such losses would strengthen its resolve to continue its struggle.” The statement noted that Hamas marks 38 years since its founding, “emphasizing its commitment to resistance, sacrifice, and the defense of Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
International mediators face mounting pressure to enforce compliance with international law, while the United Nations has reiterated calls for Israel to allow full humanitarian access and halt attacks on civilian infrastructure.
It’s not over. Almost two months into the so-called “ceasefire” in Gaza, Israel is still killing Palestinians there and in the West Bank.
Gaza is still being starved and homes in it destroyed. Ethnic cleansing in the West Bank is accelerating.
We cannot treat this as normal.… pic.twitter.com/wSsm5nPtxu
— B’Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) December 14, 2025
Expanding Toll:
Despite the “ceasefire agreement,” attacks, assassinations, and humanitarian blockades continue, leaving Gaza’s population in devastation and despair.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health state that, since the “ceasefire” agreement of October 11, 2025, Israeli violations have killed 391 Palestinians and injured 1,063, while 632 bodies have been recovered from destroyed areas.
The Ministry of Health added that since the start of the genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, the cumulative death toll has reached 70,663 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children. Injuries have climbed to 171,139, with thousands more feared buried under the ruins of destroyed neighborhoods.
