Attachments
UN Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is horrified by the continued killing of civilians in Israeli attacks in Gaza including at least 11 Palestinians killed in a series of attacks on 21 January, amid a broader pattern of post-ceasefire violence and the enduring effects of two years of devastation.
The 21 January attacks included an Israeli strike on a car which killed three Palestinian journalists near Netzarim area in central Gaza after conducting a photography assignment for the Egyptian Relief Committee. The killing of Anas Ghneim, Abdel Raof Shaat, and Muhammad Salah Qishta brings the number of journalists killed in Israeli attacks since 7 October 2023 to 292, as verified by UN Human Rights in OPT.
Israeli ground forces reportedly opened fire and carried out artillery shelling in three incidents on 21 January in the vicinity of their deployment line, known as the “yellow line”, which remains not clearly marked on the ground. The attacks reportedly killed a 13-year-old boy east of Khan Younis, and three family members including a father and his 13-year-old son in Middle Gaza. Israeli shelling also reportedly killed three Palestinian brothers northeast of Al Bureij camp in Middle Gaza.
Trends documented by UN Human Rights in the OPT since the ceasefire came into effect on 11 October 2025 include the continued killing of civilians in Israeli aerial attacks, shelling, and gunfire across all five governorates of Gaza, including incidents both far from and in the vicinity of the “yellow line”. Overall, 477 Palestinians were reportedly killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, most appear to be civilian.
Since the ceasefire until 21 January 2026, UN Human Rights in the OPT recorded the killing of at least 216 Palestinians, including at least 46 children and 28 women, in Israeli attacks far from the so-called “yellow line”, mainly on shelters of internally displaced persons and residential buildings. This included 126 reported attacks by Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) across Gaza resulting in the killing of at least 87 Palestinians, including 12 children and seven women.
In the same period, at least 167 Palestinians were reportedly killed in the vicinity of the “yellow line”, including 26 children and 17 women. Repeated Israeli military operations into areas west of the redeployment line have also led to the displacement of civilians and the demolition of residential buildings in those areas.
More civilians are dying due to the dire human-made humanitarian conditions, including at least nine children who died of hypothermia since the ceasefire.
UN Human Rights in the OPT has also recorded at least 80 reported killings of Palestinians by Hamas since the ceasefire, mostly in clashes with rival families and in summary executions. Hamas must respect international human rights law protections of persons under its control and must prevent and repress any violation of these rights committed by its members.
The persistent stream of civilian casualties raises concern that the Israeli military continues to disregard its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the right to life. The killings around the so-called “yellow line” also appear to involve the targeting of civilians not directly participating in hostilities on the sole basis of their proximity to deployment lines, which would constitute a war crime.
“The crisis in Gaza is nowhere near over. People are dying every day, both in Israeli attacks and as a result of continued Israeli restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance, in particular shelter, leading to deaths from the cold and under collapsing buildings. Palestinian journalists are killed, and international journalists are still barred from entering Gaza,” said Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights in the OPT.
“This is a time for the international community to intensify support and pressure to stop the bloodshed and advance a rights-based approach to recovery and reconstruction.”
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Mayy El Sheikh – mayy.elsheikh@un.org
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