JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Palestinian sources reported unusually intense Israeli military activity in Gaza City on Tuesday morning, including the reported deployment of special forces, heavy exchanges of fire and more than 18 airstrikes in the western part of the city.
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According to Palestinian reports, at least four people were killed and several others wounded in the fighting. The reports could not be independently verified.
The activity was concentrated around Al-Katiba, a prominent public area in western Gaza City, where residents reported repeated explosions and heavy gunfire. Palestinian sources said Israeli special forces had entered an area of villas near the American Hospital.
“Intense explosions are being heard nonstop,” Palestinian reports from the area said, describing ground fighting taking place alongside Israeli airstrikes.
Saudi-based Al-Hadath reported that the fighting began following an alleged attempt by a local militia cooperating with Israel to abduct a prominent Palestinian figure. According to the report, the attempted abduction was discovered, after which Israel launched aerial strikes in the area. That account has not been independently confirmed, and neither the identity of the alleged target nor the identity of the militia involved was immediately clear.
The reported activity around Al-Katiba was also noted by Al Jazeera, which reported at least 10 explosions from Israeli drone strikes in the area and described the incident as unusual, with reports of a possible security incident. A source at Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital said one person had been killed and others wounded in Israeli drone fire around Al-Katiba.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, issued a warning to its personnel in the area. “For your safety, please avoid movement in the vicinity of the Al-Katiba area due to the dangerous situation,” the agency said in a message to employees. It also urged personnel to exercise increased caution and contact its operations room with any questions.
Al-Katiba is one of Gaza City’s most prominent public spaces. The approximately 25-dunam area has historically been used for demonstrations, political rallies, public gatherings and prayers, making it both a major open space and a symbolic location in the city. The latest reports suggest that the area became a focal point of military activity on Tuesday, with witnesses describing sustained explosions, low-flying aircraft and intense ground fire.
The reports are particularly notable because the current level of activity appears unusual compared with the more limited strikes that have continued in Gaza since the U.S.-backed ceasefire took effect in October 2025.
As of the latest reports, the IDF had not publicly commented on the claims regarding the reported deployment of special forces in Al-Katiba or the Al-Hadath report about an alleged attempted abduction. The IDF Spokesperson said that “The IDF struck several targets in the Gaza Strip a short time ago in order to eliminate threats to security forces. There were no casualties among our forces.”