Israeli Strikes Leave 23 Palestinians Dead in Gaza
Reports from hospitals in Gaza have confirmed that Israeli airstrikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least 23 Palestinians, marking one of the deadliest incidents since the ceasefire agreement in October aimed at halting the conflict.
Amid accusations of ceasefire violations by Israel against Hamas, the strikes targeted various locations across Gaza, including a devastating attack on an apartment building in Gaza City and a tent camp in Khan Younis. Among the casualties were two women and six children from separate families. Additionally, an airstrike on a police station in Gaza City claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals, with several others sustaining injuries, as reported by Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital.
These strikes occurred just a day before the scheduled reopening of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border, a crucial lifeline for thousands in need of medical treatment outside the war-torn territory. The reopening of border crossings is a significant development in the US-brokered ceasefire’s second phase, which also involves demilitarization efforts and the establishment of a new government for overseeing reconstruction in Gaza.
Despite these steps towards peace, the recent airstrikes serve as a grim reminder of the escalating death toll in Gaza, highlighting the ongoing challenges even as efforts are made to uphold the ceasefire agreement.
Tragic accounts from Nasser Hospital revealed that the strike on the tent camp led to a fire that claimed the lives of seven individuals, including a father, his three children, and three grandchildren. Meanwhile, Shifa Hospital reported that the Gaza City apartment building attack resulted in the deaths of three children, their aunt, and grandmother. The strike on the police station reportedly killed at least 11 officers, including four policewomen and inmates held at the facility, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
Following the airstrikes, Hamas condemned the actions as a violation of the ceasefire and called on the United States and other mediators to intervene and halt Israeli attacks.
Israel’s military, in response to alleged ceasefire violations, carried out airstrikes overnight and on Saturday. While specific targets were not disclosed, the military stated that the strikes were in retaliation for violations of the ceasefire agreement, including an incident where three militants were killed while exiting a tunnel in an Israeli-controlled zone in Rafah.
Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, Gaza’s Health Ministry has recorded 509 Palestinian deaths caused by Israeli airstrikes. The ministry, under the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed records of casualties, which are considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.
