A fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, announced just hours earlier, quickly unraveled on Thursday as Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, resulting in at least 73 deaths, including 20 children and 25 women.
The attack came after a brief moment of relief for Gaza residents, who had celebrated the ceasefire announcement late Wednesday evening.
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“We were waiting for the truce and were happy. It was the happiest night since October 7,” said Gaza resident Saeed Alloush, referencing the Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war.
But the celebration turned to grief when news broke of at least 40 deaths, including Alloush’s uncle.
The airstrikes, which began shortly after the ceasefire deal was made public, targeted several buildings, leaving behind scenes of devastation.
At least 200 others were wounded in the strikes, and many buildings in Gaza, including the five-story structure hit in Gaza City, were reduced to rubble.
Local residents and first responders frantically searched through the debris under the dim light of flashlights.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis was overwhelmed with casualties, while the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City saw grieving families as they identified the bodies of loved ones who died in the attacks.
Ibrahim Abu al-Rish, a Gaza civil defense rescuer, described the night as “very bloody,” with rescue efforts continuing as shelling continued across the city.
International medical organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) called the situation dire, with their emergency coordinator Amande Bazerolle saying, “Last night it was a lot of cheering for 20 minutes, and then it was a very bloody night.”
Despite the ceasefire agreement announced by Qatar and the United States, which was supposed to take effect on Sunday, there are growing concerns over the viability of the deal.
The Israeli cabinet was expected to approve the agreement later Thursday, although tensions were high with accusations from Israeli officials that Hamas had backtracked on parts of the deal.
The war, which began after Hamas’s October 7 attack, has led to horrific losses on both sides.
As of Thursday, more than 46,000 people in Gaza have been killed, the majority civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
On the Israeli side, over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, have died in the ongoing conflict.
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