Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, May 17, 2026, killed at least five Palestinians in separate incidents, according to officials and reports from the region. The strikes were reported in the central city of Deir el-Balah, as well as in Khan Younis and Beit Lahiya.
In Deir el-Balah, a strike hit a community kitchen, resulting in the deaths of three people. Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary, reporting from Gaza City, identified the three individuals as charity workers serving the local community.
Hamas issued a statement in response to the strike on the kitchen, calling it a “deliberate war crime and a renewed scene of the ongoing genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip.” The statement continued, “This occurs amid an unjustified international silence and inaction that emboldens the occupation to continue its massacres, in blatant disregard for all international values, norms, and laws.”
On Sunday, Gaza’s Health Ministry released updated casualty figures. The ministry reported that at least 72,760 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023. According to the same source, 871 of those fatalities have occurred since a ceasefire agreement went into effect in October 2025.
The Israeli military also released a statement on Sunday detailing its operations. The military said its forces killed an individual inside a designated buffer zone, stating the person was armed and “posed an imminent threat to soldiers.”
In a separate part of the statement, the Israeli military announced it had killed a Hamas commander, identifying him as Bahaa Baroud. There was no immediate confirmation from Hamas regarding the status of Baroud.
