17 Palestinians Killed in Latest Israeli Strike on Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict

Post by : Elena Malik

Photo : AFP

Cairo: On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza town of Zawayda resulted in the deaths of at least 17 Palestinians and left dozens injured, according to health officials in the Hamas-administered enclave. The strike primarily affected one family, with reports indicating that eight children and four women were among the deceased. The victims were said to have been asleep in their beds when the missiles hit.

The Israeli military acknowledged the reports and stated it was investigating the incident. According to local resident Abu Ahmed Hassan, the targeted area had no known military activities, and the house belonged to a known merchant.

In response to ongoing rocket fire from Hamas operatives, Israel issued new evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, including the Maghazi district near Zawayda. The military's spokesperson directed residents to evacuate to designated humanitarian zones. Thousands of people were seen fleeing Maghazi, though it was unclear whether Zawayda was included in the evacuation orders. On Friday, evacuation orders were also issued for parts of Khan Younis and other areas outside the humanitarian zones, impacting around 170,000 displaced individuals, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

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The evacuation orders have significantly reduced the size of the so-called humanitarian area in Gaza, which now covers only 11% of the territory. In central Gaza, Israeli tanks advanced into the previously untouched area of Deir Al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are taking refuge.

Since the conflict began, Israel has reported the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians, according to Gaza health authorities. In contrast, Israel has lost 330 soldiers. The violence was ignited on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages.

Ceasefire negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been paused, with discussions set to resume next week. U.S. President Joe Biden has urged all parties to support efforts for a ceasefire and hostage release, though he acknowledged that an agreement is still not finalized. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed claims of an imminent agreement as misleading.

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