- Israeli strikes in Gaza on Wednesday killed 24 Palestinians, including children and a medic, according to Palestinian media.
- Israel claims the strikes were retaliation for Hamas militants violating a ceasefire agreement and injuring an Israeli soldier.
- Despite some progress with the Rafah border crossing, the number of deaths in Gaza since the ceasefire began has reached 556.

A: Hey Hana! Did you hear about what’s happening in Gaza? It’s really sad.

B: No, what happened, Kenji? Tell me!

A: Apparently, Israeli strikes killed a bunch of people yesterday. Like, 24! It included kids and even a medic.

B: Oh my gosh! That’s terrible. Where did it happen?

A: Mostly around Khan Younis. They say one of the strikes hit tents where people were living, because they had to leave their homes.

B: That's awful. But I thought there was a ceasefire?

A: Yeah, there was, but Israel says Hamas broke it. They claim Hamas opened fire on Israeli soldiers.

B: Hmm, so Israel responded with more strikes? It’s been complicated, right? I remember hearing about that ceasefire starting last October.

A: Exactly! They’ve been fighting on and off since then. Sadly, over 556 people have died since that ceasefire began.

B: Wow, that’s a lot. What’s Hamas saying?

A: Hamas is really angry. They say Israel is trying to ruin any chance of lasting peace. They want the world to pressure Israel to stop.

B: I heard the border crossing with Egypt opened a little, that’s good news, right?

A: Yeah, that's a small step forward. But with all these strikes happening, the number of deaths is just going up. It’s a really difficult situation.