Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 33 Palestinians on Wednesday, with the majority occurring in an attack on a residence in Beit Lahiya, located at the northern edge of the enclave, according to medical sources.
The strike in Beit Lahiya claimed the lives of at least 22 individuals, including women and children, as reported by health officials. Family members shared the names of the deceased on social media platforms.
Prior to the attack, over 30 people were residing in the multi-storey building, and several relatives remain unaccounted for as rescue efforts continued into the morning, as stated by the Palestinian WAFA news agency.
The Israeli military informed Reuters that the strike was aimed at Hamas militants near the Kamal Adwan Hospital, situated between Beit Lahiya and Jabalia, both of which have been under Israeli siege for two months. The military indicated that it was still reviewing the incident but characterized the casualty figures provided by Palestinian medical personnel and media as “inaccurate” and inconsistent with their own data.
In the nearby area of Beit Hanoun, also under siege, medics reported that an Israeli airstrike resulted in multiple casualties, although an exact number was not provided. Rescue teams indicated that several individuals were trapped beneath the debris.
Earlier on Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza led to the deaths of at least seven Palestinians, with additional injuries reported, according to medics. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service and medical personnel also reported that four other individuals were killed in separate airstrikes on two residences in Gaza City, including journalist Eman Al-Shanti and her son. The Palestinian Union of Journalists noted that she was the 193rd journalist killed by Israeli forces since the onset of the conflict.
The Israeli military announced that two rockets were launched from the central Gaza Strip into Israel, landing in uninhabited areas and resulting in no injuries. This incident highlights the ongoing capability of Gaza militants to conduct rocket strikes despite enduring 14 months of extensive Israeli aerial and ground operations.
Later on Wednesday, the Israeli military instructed residents of the Al-Maghazi camp in central Gaza to evacuate due to rocket fire originating from that region. Residents were advised to move towards a designated humanitarian zone along the Mediterranean coast.
Palestinian and United Nations representatives assert that there are no truly safe locations within the ravaged enclave. Israel contends that civilian casualties arise from Hamas’s strategy of operating within civilian populations, a claim that Hamas disputes.
The conflict has primarily concentrated in the northern regions, where Israeli forces have been active in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, and Jabalia since October 5. Israel maintains that its operations aim to thwart Hamas from regrouping and launching further attacks from these areas. Conversely, Palestinian officials and local residents accuse Israel of attempting to depopulate the region to establish a buffer zone along Gaza’s northern border, a claim that Israel refutes.
The hostilities between Israel and Hamas escalated following an attack by Hamas-led fighters on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports. This assault prompted Israel’s military response against Hamas in Gaza, which, according to health authorities in Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of more than 44,800 Palestinians.
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