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Israeli gunfire on Thursday killed an 11-year-old girl whose family had returned to a designated safe zone, according to a relative, adding to more than 400 deaths reported since a ceasefire was reached to halt fighting in Gaza nearly three months ago.
After shells and shrapnel hit her home in northern Gaza's Jabaliya area, Hamsa Housou was taken to Al-Shifa Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Outside the hospital mortuary, her uncle Khamis Housou told The Associated Press that the family had returned home on Oct. 11, 2025, a day after the ceasefire went into effect.
Housou, who said his niece had dreams of becoming a doctor, told how early on Thursday he heard screams as Israeli troops combed the area where shells and shrapnel hit. He ran from his apartment toward the home where Hamsa lived and found her lying on the floor.
He carried the girl to the nearest clinic, only to find the ambulance there had a flat tire. They waited about 15 minutes, he said, before taking her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
"They say that there is a ceasefire and that the war on Gaza has stopped. Is this only through the media, while every day there are explosions and fire belts?" he asked. "Shooting does not stop. Where is the ceasefire?"
Khamis Housou said that Falluja, the neighbourhood in Jabaliya where the family lives, has been subjected to daily shooting by Israeli troops despite being on the western side of the yellow ceasefire line.
Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It has previously said that military actions since the ceasefire began have been in response to violations of the agreement.
At least 425 Palestinians have been killed in the nearly three months since the ceasefire took effect, Gaza's Health Ministry reported Thursday.
The overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war rose to at least 71,395, the Health Ministry said, with another 171,287 wounded.
The phased ceasefire agreement remains in its initial stage as efforts continue to recover the remains of the final hostage in Gaza.
Israel's Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Wednesday that it had been notified that teams had recommenced searching for Ran Gvili. The 24-year-old police officer was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians, in the attack that triggered the war, according to Israeli figures.
Separately, Israel's military said on Thursday it had carried out a targeted strike on a rocket launch site near Gaza City after identifying a failed launch, as questions mount over when the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire will begin.
The military said the alleged projectile did not cross into Israeli territory and that the launch site was struck shortly after the attempt was detected.
It accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire twice in the past 24 hours. A source from the Palestinian militant group told Reuters it was checking the allegation.
WATCH | Trump, Netanyahu met last week to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal:U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss next steps for the ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said there will be hell to pay for Hamas if it doesn't disarm but said Israel withdrawing forces was 'a separate subject.'Israel is awaiting the handover of the final body due under the current stage of the truce. An Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not move to the next phase of the ceasefire until Hamas returns the remains of the last Israeli hostage still held in Gaza.
Israel has yet to open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which is another condition of the U.S.-backed plan, saying it will only do so once the remains are returned.
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