An Israeli-backed raid aimed at detaining a senior Hamas militant in Gaza City led to a series of airstrikes that killed at least five Palestinians, including three children, according to Gaza health officials and witnesses. The operation took place on Tuesday in the Katiba area in the west of Gaza City, a densely populated neighborhood that also hosts many displaced families.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the detention of a senior Hamas figure, identified by an Israeli security official as the head of Hamas’ internal security service. The Israeli military acknowledged the operation but provided limited details. Katz emphasized Israel’s ongoing strategy to pre-emptively target Hamas operatives and infrastructure, stating, “We do not wait for threats, but rather pursue Hamas fighters, thwart them, and destroy their infrastructure.” The minister made these remarks during a visit to Netiv HaAsara, a community near Israel’s northern Gaza border.
According to Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, an Israeli special forces unit attempted the raid before being detected. Al-Thawabta said Israeli forces responded with heavy airstrikes to cover their withdrawal, leading to several fatalities and injuries. Witnesses reported that Israeli warplanes fired at least a dozen missiles in the Katiba area, hitting multiple targets including two vehicles. Medical sources confirmed that among those killed were two children and a woman. Another child was killed later in a separate incident involving Israeli gunfire east of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza.
The Israeli raid reportedly involved members of a militia allied with Israel, operating from Israeli-controlled zones within Gaza. The explosions and ensuing violence forced many families to flee their shelters, including those near a local kindergarten.
Since a US-backed ceasefire took effect in October 2025, large-scale hostilities between Israel and Gaza have significantly decreased, though Israeli strikes and militant attacks have continued intermittently. The ceasefire aimed to halt widespread fighting and pave the way for further Israeli troop withdrawals and the disarmament of Hamas under a broader peace initiative proposed by then-US President Donald Trump. However, Hamas accuses Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and undermining peace efforts.
Since the ceasefire’s implementation, Gaza health officials report that over 1,300 Palestinians have died amid ongoing violence. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has recorded the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in related attacks during the same period. Both sides maintain that their actions are defensive measures in a protracted conflict marked by deep-seated tensions and cyclical confrontations.