The sea in Gaza holds many reflections — of sunlight on waves, of cities leaning into the horizon, and of lives interrupted by sudden unrest. On a clear morning that promised calm, the horizon instead carried the rumble of airstrikes that would once again remind families here how fragile peace can feel. In the delicate hours of a ceasefire that had offered a breath between long months of conflict, the sound of explosions echoed over neighborhoods and open streets.

In the heart of the Gaza Strip, early Tuesday brought news that at least 21 Palestinians had been killed in a series of Israeli strikes, according to local health officials and hospital sources. Among the dead were women, children — including two infants — and a paramedic tending to others in need. The scenes of grief unfolded softly against the backdrop of a ceasefire many had hoped would hold, illustrating how swiftly hopes can be shaken by renewed violence.

Israel’s military said the strikes were a response to what it described as violations of the ceasefire deal by Hamas, including attacks that wounded an Israeli soldier. From this perspective, military action was framed as a necessary reply to escalating threats along contested lines. Yet for families in the neighborhoods of Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Gaza City, the morning’s tragedy came without ceremony, erupting in places where daily life seeks, at times, nothing more than routine.

Among the victims were members of the same family struck in the Tuffah neighborhood, gathered in the early light before hospital officials reported their deaths. Relatives questioned the meaning of such loss, especially when young children were among the casualties, their futures halted abruptly by an airstrike. Across the enclave, emergency responders counted dozens of others wounded, their injuries a reminder that the toll of conflict extends far beyond the names listed on casualty reports.

This latest violence occurred amid efforts to sustain key elements of the U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement that went into effect months earlier. While some provisions — including the release of hostages and larger flows of humanitarian aid — have seen progress, other aspects such as international security arrangements, demobilization questions, and reconstruction commitments remain stalled. These delays have made the truce feel more like a fragile understanding than a firm peace, vulnerable to the smallest spark of escalation.

Voices across Gaza expressed a weary longing for consistency. Even as the Rafah crossing with Egypt reopened to limited movement, facilitating some passage for patients and humanitarian support, the disruption of hostilities reminded many that the path ahead is uneven and uncertain. Parents walked beside hospital corridors, their steps unhurried in the shadow of recent loss, while children counted days and nights in shelters punctuated by distant sounds of conflict.

Israel strongly denies allegations that its military actions constitute indiscriminate violence and insists such operations target militants whose actions undermine agreed-upon terms of ceasefire. Meanwhile, eight Arab and Muslim nations — including mediators involved in the deal — have formally criticized repeated flare-ups as violations that weaken efforts to sustain peace. In this exchange of actions and responses, the human cost remains unmistakably personal and deeply felt.

In the quiet that followed the latest strikes, families gathered around bodies laid out in hospital courtyards, soft murmurs rising into the early breeze like unanswered questions. A ceasefire, negotiated with effort from many parties, now stood at another crossroads. Whether it will regain its footing, or falter further, remains uncertain — but for those whose days began with a routine sunrise, the day’s loss carved a new chapter into the shared memory of a place yearning for both peace and permanence.

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Sources Based on Source Check • Associated Press • Reuters • Al Jazeera • Yahoo News (AP reprint) • Additional mainstream outlets