Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 37 individuals in Gaza, according to medical sources

Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 37 Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip on Thursday, with 11 fatalities occurring in a tent encampment housing displaced families, according to medical sources. Among the deceased were women and children located in the Al-Mawasi district, which had previously been designated as a humanitarian zone for civilians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, now in its 15th month.

The Hamas-run Gaza interior ministry reported that Mahmoud Salah, the director general of Gaza’s police department, and his aide, Hussam Shahwan, were among those killed in the attack. The ministry condemned the assassination of the police director, stating that such actions by the occupying forces were aimed at exacerbating chaos and increasing the suffering of the local population.

The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out an intelligence-driven strike in Al-Mawasi, targeting Shahwan, whom they identified as the head of Hamas security forces in southern Gaza, but did not acknowledge Salah’s death.

In addition, other Israeli airstrikes claimed the lives of at least 26 Palestinians, including six at the interior ministry headquarters in Khan Younis, as well as others in the Jabalia refugee camp, Shati (Beach) camp, and Maghazi camp in central Gaza. The Israeli military stated that these operations were aimed at Hamas militants believed to be operating from a command and control center located within the Khan Younis municipality building in the designated humanitarian area.

In response to inquiries regarding the reported 37 fatalities, an Israeli military spokesperson stated that the operations in Gaza are conducted in accordance with international law and that “feasible precautions” have been implemented to reduce civilian casualties. The military has accused militants in Gaza of utilizing densely populated residential areas for protection, a claim that Hamas refutes.

Additionally, Islamic Jihad, a smaller ally of Hamas, reported launching rockets into the southern Israeli kibbutz of Holit, located near Gaza, on Thursday. The Israeli military confirmed that it intercepted one of the projectiles that had originated from southern Gaza.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 45,500 Palestinians. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and significant portions of the densely populated coastal region lie in devastation. The hostilities were ignited by Hamas’ cross-border assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 others to Gaza, as reported by Israeli sources.