Israeli strikes kill four in Gaza as military says it arrests Hamas fighter

A joint Israeli and Palestinian raid aimed at capturing a senior Hamas operative in Gaza City escalated into airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of at least four Palestinians, including two children, on Tuesday. The Israeli military claimed that the operation aimed to neutralize threats to their security forces, while Hamas officials said the Israeli forces were attempting to carry out an arrest before being detected.

According to Ismail Al-Thawabta, a Hamas official, the Israeli special force was attempting to detain the man who is believed to be the head of Hamas' internal security service. After the operation was discovered, Israeli airstrikes targeted several locations in Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including two children and a woman. Medics reported that at least two vehicles were destroyed in the bombardment.

In a separate incident, Israeli forces operating east of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza opened fire, killing a 4-year-old boy named Israa Al-Hissi and wounding two other individuals. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the military strikes were conducted in response to potential threats but did not provide further details about the arrest operation or the identity of the detained Hamas fighter.

Despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire that began in October 2025, Israeli strikes have continued, with over 1,300 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health officials.