Israel’s Latest Strikes in Gaza Kill Dozens Including Hamas Commander

Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill at Least 11, Including Children and Hamas Commander

GAZA CITY — Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, killed at least 11 Palestinians, including two children and a Hamas commander, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence authorities and local media reports. The attacks targeted multiple locations across the enclave, violating a ceasefire that has been in effect since October 2025.

The deadliest strike occurred in Gaza City, where an Israeli airstrike hit a police vehicle in the city center, killing four people, including a three-year-old child. Gaza’s Ministry of Interior confirmed the attack, stating that the strike caused “several deaths and injuries,” with at least nine bystanders wounded, some critically. A police officer was among those killed.

Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defence, told local media that another individual was killed earlier in the day by Israeli fire in the northern Beit Lahiya area. Later in the evening, a drone strike near an intersection in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City killed several more people. Medics at Al-Shifa Hospital confirmed receiving five bodies from the drone attack, which involved two missiles targeting a group of people.

Among the dead was Iyad al-Shanbari, identified by Israeli sources as a Hamas commander. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated earlier this week that “dozens of Hamas commanders” had been killed in recent strikes, though no further details about al-Shanbari’s role were provided in the primary reports.

Ceasefire Violations and Civilian Casualties

The strikes mark a significant escalation in violence since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in October 2025. While both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the agreement, Tuesday’s attacks drew sharp condemnation from Palestinian officials and humanitarian groups. Gaza’s Civil Defence described the strikes as “the latest violations by Israel” of the ceasefire.

A 14-year-old child was also among those killed in the northern Gaza strikes, according to reports from Gaza’s health authorities. Witnesses in Gaza City described seeing “pillars of fire and smoke” rising from residential areas, with explosions reported in multiple neighborhoods, including al-Rimal and Khan Younis. The strikes targeted homes, schools and residential blocks, according to local reports.

In a separate incident, an Israeli drone bombing in the Shati refugee camp killed at least five people, including a pregnant woman carrying twins, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence. The attack, which involved two missiles, struck a group of civilians near an intersection, according to medics at Al-Shifa Hospital.

International Reactions and Ongoing Tensions

The Israeli military has not directly commented on the specific strikes reported on Tuesday but has previously stated that its operations target “terror targets and terrorists” in response to alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas. In October 2025, Israel accused Hamas of killing an Israeli soldier in Gaza and failing to return the bodies of deceased hostages, claims that Hamas denied.

U.S. Officials have urged both sides to adhere to the ceasefire, with former President Donald Trump stating in October 2025 that “nothing” should jeopardize the agreement but acknowledging that Israel had the right to “hit back” when its soldiers were targeted. However, the latest strikes have raised concerns about the fragility of the truce and the potential for further escalation.

Humanitarian organizations have warned of the dire conditions in Gaza, where repeated cycles of violence have left infrastructure severely damaged and displaced thousands of families. The latest casualties bring the total number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 2025 to over 100, including dozens of children, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry.

As of Tuesday evening, no formal statement had been issued by Hamas regarding the latest strikes, but previous incidents have led to retaliatory threats and heightened tensions along the Israel-Gaza border.

What Comes Next?

The resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza raises questions about the durability of the ceasefire and the potential for further military escalation. While both sides have accused each other of provocation, the targeting of civilian areas and the killing of children have drawn particular scrutiny from international observers.

For now, Gaza’s Civil Defence and medical teams continue to recover bodies and treat the wounded, while residents brace for the possibility of renewed hostilities. The international community remains divided on how to address the ongoing conflict, with calls for restraint competing against demands for stronger action to protect civilian lives.