GAZA — An Israeli air strike targeted a group of civilians near the Al-Qassam mosque in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, killing five Palestinians, including three children, according to Gaza's civil defense agency and local health officials. The bodies were taken to Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, which confirmed receiving them.

Since the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October 2025, at least 786 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, according to Gaza's health ministry. At least 32 of those deaths occurred in April 2026.

Israel committed 2,400 violations of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas in October 2025, according to Gaza's Government Media Office, which said the violations included targeted strikes, arrests, blockades, and forced starvation of Gaza's residents. Israel has also been accused of violating the ceasefire by restricting the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies, and shelter materials into Gaza.

Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah was killed in a drone strike west of Gaza City on April 8, 2026. More than 20,000 children were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza over two years, according to a Save the Children report, which found that on average at least one child was killed every hour during that period. Over 1,000 of the children killed were under one year old, and thousands more children suffered injuries, trauma, or separation from parents.

In November 2023, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation in Gaza as a "graveyard for children." UN Women reported that on average at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza.

Between October 2023 and December 2025, more than 38,000 women and girls were killed in Gaza, including over 22,000 women and 16,000 girls, according to UN Women, which said the suffering continues despite the ceasefire.

"Women and girls accounted for a proportion of deaths far higher than those observed in previous conflicts in Gaza. Those killed were mothers, they were daughters, sisters, and friends – deeply loved by those around them," said Sofia Calltorp, head of humanitarian action at UN Women.

Gaza is home to about 2.4 million Palestinians, including about 1.5 million displaced persons, who are living with shortages of basic necessities.