At least 13 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday, according to statements from local authorities. The fatalities included five children and four women, as reported by the civil defense agency operating under the Hamas administration. Rescue crews searched through debris in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where a residential building was reduced to rubble during the strikes.
The incident unfolded shortly after a rocket was launched from Gaza toward Israeli territory earlier in the day. The projectile failed shortly after liftoff and crashed back into Gazan territory, prompting the Israeli military to carry out retaliatory operations targeting what it described as the launch site.
In a public statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets struck infrastructure linked to the failed rocket launch. The military later added that several individuals believed to be involved in the attempted attack were “eliminated” in the strike.
Gazan media offices disputed the framing, reporting that the victims pulled from the destroyed building were civilians. Officials did not provide immediate details regarding the identities or affiliations of the adult victims.
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist faction governing Gaza since 2007. Despite occasional ceasefires, sporadic rocket launches and retaliatory airstrikes continue to reinforce the fragile and volatile nature of the conflict.
Information for this report was gathered from official Israeli military announcements, statements from agencies in Gaza, and on-the-ground reporting from international correspondents active in the region on January 8, 2026.
Pope Leo Warns Against ‘Diplomacy of Force’ in Annual Address to Global Envoys – a gripping update you shouldn’t miss, read the full blog on my other site!
