Israel kills 19 after ceasefire deadline, Netanyahu warns truce is ‘temporary’

As the Gaza ceasefire was delayed, Israeli airstrikes killed 19 civilians, while Netanyahu called the first phase a 'temporary ceasefire'.
3 min read
19 January, 2025
Last Update
19 January, 2025 11:15 AM
Gaza hospital said an Israeli strike killed 19 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip [GETTY]

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 civilians in Gaza and wounded 36 more early on Sunday, shortly after a ceasefire was slated to begin.

The truce later came into effect after an Israeli delay over a list of names of captives to be released by Hamas.

Gaza's Civil Defence Department said the civilians were killed in attacks across the Gaza Strip, including Beit Lahiya, Gaza City, and Al-Bureij.

One person was killed in Rafah, six in Khan Younis, nine in Gaza City and three in the north, Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense said in a statement.

Israeli shelling took place in Gaza City, the North Governorate and other areas in northern Gaza, despite the ceasefire coming into effect.

An Anadolu correspondent reported Khan Younis and Nuseirat had been targeted, and the Israeli army opened fire east of the Shujaiya and Zeitoun neighbourhoods in Gaza Governorate.

The areas surrounding Al-Quds Hospital were also under fire as Israeli forces continue to target places near medical facilities.

A medical source at the Baptist Hospital revealed that three Palestinians were killed in Gaza City.

At the same time, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that one of its paramedics was injured after the Israeli army targeted an ambulance evacuating the wounded in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military said it continued to carry out its attacks, saying that Hamas had still not provided a list of the captives to be released.

The group said the delay in providing the names was due to "technical reasons", adding that the list would be given "at any moment".

Since then, the group released the names of three female captives: Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, identified by Abu Obaida, spokesman of Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.

Following the list, Israel confirmed the ceasefire would begin at 11.15 local time, with mediator Qatar confirming the truce had begun.

Despite this, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court in connection to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel in Gaza, warned the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire was "temporary" in his first public speech since the agreement was finalised.

Netanyahu also insisted Israel is "reserving the right" to continue its war if needed.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 46,913 civilians and injured 110,750 since October 2023. More than 11,000 Palestinians remain missing under the rubble.

Over 1.93 million people, 85 percent of the people residing in Gaza have been displaced.

In the occupied West Bank, 835 Palestinians have been killed in the same period.