Israeli fire kills four Palestinians in Gaza, medics say

GAZA CITY — Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least four Palestinians in separate incidents across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, health officials said. The dead include a married couple and a 17-year-old boy.

Medics said an Israeli airstrike killed Akram Yassin and his wife, Dina Abu Baker, in an apartment in Gaza City. Palestinians inspected the site before gathering for the couple's funeral.

In Khan Younis, in the south, medics said a 17-year-old boy was killed by Israeli gunfire near the Qizan Al-Najar neighbourhood. Medics also said another person was killed by Israeli gunfire in the Zeitoun suburb east of Gaza City. Taken together, these deaths brought Tuesday's toll to at least four, according to the health officials.

The Israeli military said it struck a militant in the Gaza City area, without giving further details. It did not immediately comment on either of the two gunfire incidents.

Mahmoud Yassin, whose brother was killed, said the territory was not in a ceasefire in practice. "We're supposed to be in a ceasefire period, but honestly, we are not seeing a ceasefire or anything," he said. "The war is still going on, assassinations are continuing, and the shelling has not stopped."

Israel says the Hamas militant group has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of the ceasefire. It has stepped up strikes on the group in recent weeks. Hamas has denied trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal. It accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza peace deal.

It remains unclear from the available reports who the person killed in Zeitoun was, and the reports do not give the identity of the militant targeted in the Gaza City strike. Social media posts from Al Jazeera's Arabic and Mubasher Telegram channels gave the same toll of four, including a child and a woman, citing sources at Gaza hospitals. These posts have not been confirmed by the outlet's reporting or by an official statement.

Background

The ceasefire, brokered by the United States a year ago, calls for the eventual reconstruction of the territory. Little progress has been made toward a deal to end the conflict. That deal includes terms for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its troops.

Gaza health officials have said at least 1,500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.