An apparent Israeli airstrike in central Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 18 individuals, according to Palestinian medical authorities. The strike occurred on Sunday morning, targeting a mosque that was reportedly sheltering displaced persons near the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Hospital records indicated that all the deceased were men, and two additional individuals sustained critical injuries.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident involving the mosque. This attack adds to the rising death toll in Gaza, with the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Ministry reporting nearly 42,000 deaths since the escalation of hostilities on October 7, 2023.
In a related development, Hamas announced that an Israeli strike in a refugee camp in northern Lebanon killed Hamas official Saeed Atallah Ali and his family. Additionally, another member of Hamas’s military wing was reported killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley.
Israel commenced ground operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah last week, with nine Israeli soldiers confirmed dead in the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 Hezbollah fighters and civilians have been reported killed in Israeli strikes targeting the militant group’s positions in southern Lebanon.
Since the cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in daily exchanges of fire across the Lebanon border. In anticipation of possible escalations as the anniversary of the October 7 attack approaches, Israel has placed its forces on heightened alert. Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated, “We are prepared with increased forces in anticipation for this day” when there could be “attacks on the home front.”
Sources By Agencies
