At least 87 Palestinians were killed, including 21 children and 25 women, in Israeli attacks on Gaza since the announcement of a ceasefire deal that is due to start on Sunday.

Israel’s cabinet is expected to convene a meeting today to approve the Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to reports.

Twenty Palestinians were killed and dozens injured when the Israeli military bombed an apartment building in northern Gaza’s Jabalia following celebrations that a ceasefire deal had been reached to end fighting in the Palestinian territory.

Ahmed al-Haj Ali, a boy who was pulled from the rubble of his family’s home following the devastating attack on Thursday night.

“As we were celebrating the ceasefire announcement, the Israeli warplanes took us by surprise,” Ahmed al-Haj Ali, a boy who was pulled from the rubble, said.

“I woke up to find myself lying in hospital with head injuries. All my brothers and aunts were killed. I miraculously survived as a civil defence member pulled me from the rubble,” he said.

Another local man, Abdullah Khadir, described how his family had gathered at home after the ceasefire was announced and then the Israeli bombs began to fall.

“As I was about to sleep, I heard a loud explosion. I ran out to find the whole building next to me, level to the ground. Nothing but rubble, dust and smoke rising from the dark skies,” Khadir said.

“I heard screams from under the concrete ruins. Some civil defence members rushed to our help. With our bare hands, we managed to pull out the dead and a few survivors,” he said.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza – Urgent call for aid amidst severe shortages

Sophie Driscoll – a policy, advocacy and communications coordinator with the International Rescue Committee’s Occupied Palestinian Territory office – has highlighted the ongoing critical shortage of humanitarian aid in Gaza as the ceasefire draws near.

Driscoll stressed that essential supplies like food, water, and medical aid have not reached Gaza’s population at acceptable levels for months. She pointed out that the lack of medical supplies has led to preventable injuries and deaths, particularly among children, who are also facing severe malnutrition.

Driscoll called for a surge in humanitarian aid to provide emergency medical supplies, treatment for malnutrition, and necessary winter clothing.