Israeli strikes kill at least 12 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say

At least 12 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Saturday morning, according to hospitals in Gaza.

The casualties included two women and six children from two different families, officials at the hospitals which received the bodies say.

It marks one of the deadliest days in Gaza since a ceasefire was agreed in October.

Shifa Hospital said a strike in Gaza City killed a mother, three children and one of their relatives, while Nasser Hospital said a strike in a tent camp in Khan Younis caused a fire to break out, killing seven, including a father, his three children and three grandchildren.

Gaza’s health ministry, which is run by the Hamas-led government, has recorded more than 500 Palestinian deaths by Israeli attacks since the start of the ceasefire on 10 October.

Israel’s military did not immediately respond to questions about the strikes.

Both Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for breaching the ceasefire after two years of war, which has left Gaza devastated and caused a humanitarian disaster.

Eleven Palestinians were also killed in attacks across Gaza on 21 January, including two 13-year-old boys and three journalists, according to hospital officials.

The latest strikes came a day before Rafah crossing bordering Egypt, the main route in or out of Gaza for nearly all of the two million people who live there, was set to reopen.

All of Gaza’s borders have been shut since the war began, though Rafah was briefly opened early in 2025 for the evacuation of sick and wounded Palestinians for treatment, as part of the previous ceasefire deal.

Palestinians see the Rafah crossing as a lifeline for the Gazans in need of treatment, because most medical infrastructure within the territory has been destroyed. The World Health Organization estimates nearly 20,000 people could need treatment.

Israel has kept the Rafah crossing closed in both directions since the ceasefire in October, demanding Hamas must abide by the agreement to return all hostages still in Gaza, living and deceased.

Read more: How Rafah crossings will work

The remains of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, 24-year-old Ran Gvili, were retrieved around a week ago. He was killed at the Alumim kibbutz during the October 7 attacks in 2023, before his body was taken to Gaza.

Israeli officials have said the “limited reopening” on Sunday comes in line with US president Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.

Sky News understands Israel will not put a limit on the number of people allowed to leave Gaza via the crossing, but will cap the number of people allowed to cross back into Gaza from Egypt at 150 per day.

Palestinian officials suggest that around 100,000 people have fled Gaza since the war began.