ISRAELI ATTACKS IN GAZA KILL SIX, INCLUDING A GIRL, MEDICS SAY

Israeli fire and airstrikes killed at least six Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, including a 9-year-old girl, according to Palestinian health officials cited by Reuters and the Associated Press. The reported deaths came despite an October 2025 ceasefire, as Israel and Hamas remain stalled over the next phase of a U.S.-brokered peace plan.

Reuters reported that the girl, identified as Tala Abu Matar, was killed by Israeli gunfire at a tent encampment in Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. AP also reported that the child was killed in a displaced persons camp in central Gaza. Israel's military told AP it had no knowledge of that incident.

Four other people were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a metal foundry or blacksmith shop in Gaza City's Sabra neighbourhood, according to Palestinian health officials cited by Reuters and AP. Israel's military confirmed a strike in the area and said it had targeted what it described as terrorist infrastructure or a Hamas weapons facility.

A separate Israeli strike in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis killed one person and injured several others, including children, Reuters reported. Mawasi has repeatedly been used as a displacement area during the war, which makes any strike there especially likely to affect civilians sheltering in tents or temporary structures.

The attacks took place while ceasefire talks continued in Cairo. Reuters reported that the discussions are aimed at advancing the second phase of the U.S.-brokered peace plan announced in October 2025 by President Donald Trump. Hamas has accused Israel of violating the truce, while Israel says it continues to target Hamas and other militant threats.

AP reported that Israeli strikes have continued during the ceasefire period, often with Israel saying it is targeting Hamas or militants, while Palestinian civilians have continued to be killed. Reuters reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli actions since the ceasefire took effect, compared with four Israeli soldiers.

The broader humanitarian situation in Gaza remains severe. Reuters reported that most of Gaza's roughly two million residents remain displaced and living in precarious conditions. AP reported that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel.

Sunday's reported deaths highlight the fragility of the ceasefire and the difficulty of moving from a halt in major operations toward a more durable political and security arrangement. The key unresolved issues remain Israeli military withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, Gaza governance, hostage and prisoner terms, humanitarian access and reconstruction.

Fact-check date: July 12, 2026
Article type: News
Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; South China Morning Post; The Irish Times; Palestinian health officials and the Israeli military, as reported by Reuters and AP