477 Palestinians killed since Gaza ceasefire began

Friday 23 January 2026 - 14:50

By: Dakir Madiha

477 Palestinians killed since Gaza ceasefire began

Israeli forces have killed at least 477 Palestinians and wounded over 1,300 others in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, according to Palestinian health authorities. Both sides accuse each other of breaching the truce amid a dire humanitarian crisis and ongoing diplomatic pushes to advance peace talks.

Artillery fire and airstrikes targeted multiple areas in Gaza early Friday, hitting spots east of Gaza City, north of Rafah, and east of Khan Younis, local sources told Anadolu Agency. Palestinian officials describe these as part of more than 1,300 documented violations since the truce started.

The violence escalated Wednesday when Israeli strikes killed at least 11 Palestinians, including three journalists and two 13-year-old boys. Journalists Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abed Shaat, and Anas Ghneim died in a drone attack on what witnesses called a clearly marked civilian vehicle near a displacement camp in central Gaza. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the incident, with regional director Sara Qudah stressing Israel's duty under international law to safeguard media workers, given its advanced targeting technology. Agence France-Presse, for which Shaat freelanced, demanded a full investigation. The boys perished separately: one in a drone strike at Bureij refugee camp, the other shot by Israeli troops in Bani Suheila while gathering firewood.

Israel's military, known as Tsahal, reported 11 ceasefire breaches by Palestinian militants between January 9 and 22, mostly involving crossings of the "yellow line" dividing Israeli-controlled zones from the rest of Gaza. Armed individuals approached troops posing immediate threats, prompting airstrikes and ground fire that neutralized several militants, the army said. GB News, embedded with Tsahal inside the yellow line this week, noted constant gunfire and highlighted Hamas's refusal to disarm despite ceasefire commitments. Hamas Gaza leader Khalil Al-Hayya asserted in December the group's legitimate right to keep its weapons.

Beyond combat deaths, the humanitarian toll mounts. UN agencies report at least 10 children succumbing to hypothermia this winter as displaced Palestinians huddle in flimsy tents, with nighttime temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius. UNICEF warns nearly one million lack proper shelter, many in structurally unsound buildings. Aid inflows remain critically low: Gaza's government media office says only 41 percent of agreed deliveries have entered, with fuel at just 10 percent of stipulated levels.

The ceasefire forms part of US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan unveiled in September 2025, aimed at ending a war that has claimed over 71,000 Palestinian lives and injured more than 171,000 since October 2023. Trump launched his "Peace Council" Thursday at the Davos World Economic Forum, where son-in-law Jared Kushner outlined a $25 billion Gaza reconstruction blueprint. Complications persist, including the unresolved remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the last hostage not returned from Gaza, hindering the truce's next phase.