Fact check: Israel bombs people celebrating ceasefire in Gaza

1. Summary of the results

The evidence confirms that Israeli airstrikes did occur after a ceasefire announcement in January 2025, resulting in significant civilian casualties. Multiple sources verify that:

• At least 82-115 people were killed in Gaza after the ceasefire announcement ^{[1] [2]}
• The casualties included 28 children and 31 women ^[2]
• Specific incidents included an airstrike on a house in Gaza City killing 18 people and a drone strike in central Gaza killing five people ^[1]
• A particularly notable case involved the killing of a doctor and her family members while they were celebrating the truce ^[2]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• The IDF acknowledged conducting strikes on approximately 50 targets, claiming they were targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad infrastructure, not civilians ^[2]
• The ceasefire agreement was formally reached on January 15, 2025, and included provisions for hostage release and halting fighting in Gaza ^[3]
• The strikes occurred in the period between the announcement and the actual implementation of the ceasefire ^[4]
• The UN Human Rights Council characterized these strikes as "indiscriminate" ^[2]
• Palestinian residents expressed skepticism about the ceasefire's meaning due to continued military actions ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains several potential issues:

• It oversimplifies a complex situation by suggesting people were deliberately targeted while celebrating
• It doesn't acknowledge the IDF's stated military objectives regarding Hamas and Islamic Jihad infrastructure ^[2]
• It fails to distinguish between the ceasefire announcement and its actual implementation time
• The term "celebrating ceasefire" might be emotionally charged, though some sources do confirm that celebrations were occurring when strikes hit ^[6]

Different parties have varying interests in how this event is portrayed:

• The IDF emphasizes military targets to justify continued operations ^[2]
• Palestinian sources emphasize civilian casualties to highlight humanitarian concerns ^{[2] [5]}
• International organizations like the UN Human Rights Council focus on the legality and humanitarian aspects of the strikes ^[2]