Israeli occupation forces carried out new attacks across the Gaza Strip on Friday, the 197th day of the declared “ceasefire”, as artillery, naval fire, and gunfire struck multiple areas of the besieged enclave.
Over the past 24 hours, nine Palestinians were killed and at least eighteen others were injured in a continuation of Israel’s violations and its ongoing genocide against the population of Gaza.
In Gaza City, medical sources said a 17‑year‑old Palestinian girl was injured inside her home when an Israeli military drone dropped a bomb on the property.
Before dawn, Israeli forces opened fire toward displacement centers in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, targeting areas around the Khalifa School where hundreds of displaced families have been sheltering.
Several Palestinians were injured, including a young girl, Masa al‑Awda, who was shot in the head and transferred in critical condition to al‑Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Medical teams reported that her condition remains unstable due to the severity of the injury and the collapse of specialized care across the Strip.
Israeli artillery also shelled eastern Gaza City and the eastern outskirts of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, causing additional injuries and damage to civilian property.
Off the coast of Khan Younis, Israeli naval vessels opened fire toward Palestinian fishing areas, forcing fishermen to flee and further restricting access to already‑scarce food sources.
The Health Ministry confirmed that the bodies of nine Palestinians, including three children from Beit Lahia, arrived at Gaza hospitals over the past 24 hours. Eighteen others were treated for injuries resulting from Israeli shelling and gunfire in several districts.
Civil defense teams continued recovery operations in destroyed neighborhoods, bringing the total number of bodies retrieved from under the rubble since the “ceasefire” began to 761.
In a separate development, Israeli occupation authorities closed the Rafah Crossing on the border with Egypt, citing the weekly holiday, only one day after the crossing had briefly reopened.
During the short period of operation, approximately 133 patients and their companions were able to leave Gaza for medical treatment abroad, while a similar number of Palestinians returned to the Strip.
Thousands of critically ill patients remain on waiting lists, with medical organizations warning that intermittent closures are costing lives.
Child Masa Al-Awda was shot in the head by Israeli gunfire inside the Iwaa Center for displaced people in the Beit Lahia project, northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. https://t.co/egguC1XcH8 pic.twitter.com/whq6ZTBC79
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 24, 2026
While some early reports cited six deaths from the initial attack in Beit Lahia, the Gaza Ministry of Health later confirmed a total of nine Palestinians killed across the Strip over the full 24‑hour reporting period.
According to the latest figures issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 791 Palestinians have been killed and 2,235 injured since the “ceasefire” took effect on October 11, 2025.
In every corner of Gaza, there is a story of pain that hasn’t ended. Our children pay the price of war with their fragile bodies, struggling against the agony caused by bombings and the remnants of the occupation that haunt their innocence, leaving scars that may never heal. pic.twitter.com/VkwRbUQ32p
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) April 23, 2026
These totals include people killed in direct attacks, those who died from untreated wounds, and victims recovered from destroyed buildings. Independent media outlets have reported similar figures, noting that the toll continues to rise daily due to ongoing Israeli violations and the collapse of essential services.
Overall, since the beginning of Israel’s genocide against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, more than 72,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 172,000 injured. Health officials warn that the true number is likely higher, as thousands remain missing under the rubble and many areas remain inaccessible due to destroyed roads, unexploded ordnance, and the continued presence of Israeli forces.
Despite the declared ceasefire, Israeli attacks on displacement centers, residential areas, agricultural lands, and coastal zones continue to be reported daily, leaving Palestinians in Gaza without safety, stability, or meaningful relief from the ongoing destruction.
