An Israeli airstrike killed seven people late Monday at a café near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Palestinian medics said, bringing the death toll from Israeli strikes since Sunday night to at least 37.
In central Gaza, Israeli forces earlier on Monday sent tanks into the Nuseirat camp from the west, sparking panic among residents and displaced families as advancing tanks opened fire.
Twenty people were killed by air and ground strikes in Nuseirat, one of the Gaza Strip's eight historic refugee sites, overnight and into Monday, including some in a tent encampment, health officials at Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said.
Resident Zaik Mohammad said the tank incursion caught residents by surprise.
"Some people couldn't leave and remained trapped inside their homes, appealing to be allowed out, while others rushed out with whatever they could carry as they fled," Mohammad, 25, who lives one kilometer away from the targeted area, told Reuters via a chat app.
There was no Israeli comment on Monday's violence.
With the war in Gaza now in its 14th month, Israel is focusing its operations in the north and centre of the enclave in what it says is a campaign to stop Hamas militants from waging attacks and regrouping.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian residents have been told to evacuate the areas, fueling fears that they may never be allowed to return.
The already slim chances of a ceasefire receded further at the weekend when mediator Qatar said it was suspending its efforts until both Israel and Palestinian group Hamas showed greater willingness to reach an agreement.
Israeli airstrikes also killed people in Gaza City and in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, where Israeli forces have operated since Oct. 5, medics said.
At Kamal Adwan Hospital near Beit Lahiya, medics said Israeli fire from a drone wounded three medical workers in the facility.
The Israeli military said it killed a senior commander of the Islamic Jihad group, an ally of Hamas, Mohammad Abu Skhail, in a strike on Saturday at a command center inside a compound that previously served as a school in Gaza City. Palestinian medics said the attack killed six people.
HOSPITAL SIEGE
Israeli forces have besieged the three hospitals in and around Jabalia in northern Gaza for several weeks, and hospital officials have refused orders to evacuate the facilities or leave their patients unattended despite the lack of food, medical supplies and fuel.
The Israeli military accuses Hamas of exploiting Gaza's civilian population for military purposes, a charge the militant group denies.
The Israeli army sent tanks into Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia camp in northern Gaza over a month ago. It said it had killed hundreds of militants in Jabalia and around it since the raids began.
The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said their fighters carried out ambushes, mortar fire and anti-tank rocket attacks, claiming to have killed many Israeli soldiers in recent weeks.
On Monday, the Israeli military said it had expanded a humanitarian zone in the enclave. It also said it would allow more tents, shelter materials, food, water and medical supplies to enter.
Its forces "will continue to work to achieve the war's objectives, including dismantling Hamas and returning all the abductees," it said, referring to Israeli hostages.
Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in the enclave, home to more than 2.1 million people and now largely in ruins.
The war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and taking 253 hostage, by Israeli tallies. Israel's military campaign has leveled much of Gaza and killed around 43,500 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
12 Comments
sakurasuki
20 Children just being killed recently as "collateral" for defense, that's what happened if a country got international immunity.
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/catastrophic-toll-israel-kills-scores-including-20-children-in-beit-lahia/
NB
The madness in the Middle East must stop. The healing of the region must be based on the recognition that there are two nations there. Both nations have roots in the land. Both nations deserve to live and to exist. Both nations deserve to have security, to fulfill their sentiments towards the land as much and possible and to have enough space for agriculture, housing and economy. There is no room for extremist and cruel leaderships, who strive to commit genocide to the other nation while sacrificing their own nation.
stormcrow
Netanyahu & Putin both look more emboldened than ever now that their favorite choice won.
Yrral
Israelis are catching hell from the river to the sea and beyond
WoodyLee
""Twenty people were killed by air and ground strikes in Nuseirat, one of the Gaza Strip's eight historic refugee sites,""
Many of the people who live in this camp are the children and grand children of the survivors of the Zionists wars in 1948, and 1967 according to news reports.
Gaza was and still is home to many of the Zionists wars survivors who fled their homes and ran south along Palestine coast to avoid getting killed, 75 years later they are facing the same THUGS but this time in tanks and warplanes.
Aly Rustom
Once this conflict becomes a full blown regional war, there will be no way to put that Genie back in the bottle.
changamangaliay
Palestinian genocide by Israeli occupiers continues.
falseflagsteve
5 years in the future and Northern Gaza is filled with Jewish settlers, guaranteed.
wallace
Israel has destroyed Gaza making it inhabitable. In the last week, they have killed more than 1,000 civilians. Gaza needs 500 trucks of aid daily, but only 40 are getting through. Netanyahu is no longer listening to US requests.
NB
Hamas has destroyed Gaza by its insistence to commit genocide to Israel, while sacrificing the Gazans and using them as a vehicle in their grand agenda to annihilate the Jews. A new and sane leadership, who seeks peace, rehabilitation, development and prosperity must replace Hamas. Urgently. The disaster that results from Hamas's madness is growing rapidly. When Hamas is replaced Israel will withdraw, massive relief will enter and the Arab League will be able to extend help.
Sanjinosebleed
War crimes and genocide continue as the west watches on, too scared to call out the Zionist war criminals for fear of being labelled antisemetic .
Netanyahu in the Hague now!
WoodyLee
"" Its forces "will continue to work to achieve the war's objectives, including dismantling Hamas and returning all the abductees," it said, referring to Israeli hostages. ""
That's not what Bibi and his death mongers have in mind, the hostages could be released if and when Bibi thinks it's time to talk but that's NOT the main objective, OCCUPYING Gaza is what Bibi has in mind but before he can accomplish that he needs to control it's people with FEAR and HERROR which he will NEVER accomplish,
Gaza has defeated and Buried so many others like Bibi in its sands many times in it's history.