Israeli airstrikes kill 14 Palestinians, including 2 children and a woman

Photo : AP

Gaza medical officials have reported that two Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip killed at least 14 Palestinians, including two children and a woman. The strikes, which occurred on Monday and early Tuesday, have resulted in significant casualties, with many of the victims being from a designated humanitarian zone in the region.

One of the attacks took place in Muwasi, an area designated as a humanitarian zone, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. The airstrike hit a makeshift cafeteria used by displaced people, killing at least 11 individuals, including two children. Survivors were rushed to Nasser Hospital, where medical staff confirmed the casualties. Video footage from the scene showed men frantically pulling bloodied individuals from the wreckage, among tables and chairs set up in an open sand area covered with metal sheets.

The airstrike occurred just hours after Israel expanded the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, urging Palestinians displaced from other areas to take shelter there. This zone, located near the Mediterranean coast, consists of sprawling tent camps in a largely desolate area, with limited access to essential services and infrastructure.

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The second airstrike, which took place early Tuesday, targeted a residential home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. This attack killed three people, including a woman, and left 11 others wounded, according to medical officials at al-Awda Hospital. 

The Israeli military has yet to comment on the airstrikes. However, Israel has stated that its military operations in Gaza are aimed at targeting Hamas militants. The Israeli government maintains that the Palestinian deaths are the result of Hamas’s use of residential areas and infrastructure as shields, complicating efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

The violence comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Israel over the handling of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The U.S. has pressured Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, with a deadline approaching this week. Despite some steps taken by Israel, including the expansion of the humanitarian zone, U.S. officials have expressed concern that more needs to be done.

The 13-month-long conflict has claimed the lives of over 43,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health authorities, with more than half of the casualties being women and children. In contrast, Israel has reported over 1,200 civilian deaths from the October 7 Hamas-led attack in southern Israel, which marked the beginning of the ongoing war. The situation remains dire, with the number of casualties continuing to rise as the conflict escalates.