At least 20 Palestinians, including several children and a paramedic, have been killed and almost 40 others wounded in Israeli strikes in Gaza, hospitals report.
The Israeli military stated that tanks and aircraft conducted 'precise strikes' against 'terrorists' who allegedly opened fire on Israeli troops in the northern region of the strip, resulting in serious injuries to one officer.
The military further noted that the attack occurred near the Yellow Line, which marks the boundary where Israeli forces are stationed in Gaza, claiming it violated the ceasefire agreement with Hamas established three months prior.
In response, Hamas condemned Israel for using the gunfire incident as a 'flimsy pretext to justify continued aggression against our people.'
Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City reported receiving the bodies of 13 victims, including five children, who were killed when strikes targeted homes and tents for displaced families in the eastern Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods.
Among the mourners at the hospital was Abu Mohammed Haboush, who tragically noted that his family was asleep at home when the shelling occurred. 'Our children were martyred – my son, my brother’s son, and daughter were martyred,' he stated to the reporters, emphasizing that they were peaceful people with no ties to the violence.
In Khan Younis, Nasser hospital reported receiving four dead from strikes on tents in the southern Qizan Rashwan area, along with two children and the paramedic Hussein al-Samiri being killed in a two-strike incident in al-Mawasi.
The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed Samiri’s death while he was attending to victims of an initial strike, and condemned the incident as a severe violation of humanitarian law protecting medical personnel.
The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed its horror over the killing of Samiri, reminding that first responders in Gaza must not face such risks while performing their humanitarian duties.
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed that the operation in al-Mawasi targeted a Hamas commander connected with previous attacks and stated measures were taken to reduce civilian harm, despite the tragic loss of innocent lives.
Since the conflict reignited with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, an estimated 71,820 people in Gaza have lost their lives due to the ongoing military operations, according to Gaza's health ministry, while the Israeli military claims it has lost four soldiers in retaliatory actions.
The situation remains dire as both sides continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations, compounding the humanitarian crisis in an already devastated region.
