Israeli military forces escalated their attacks across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, resulting in at least 40 confirmed fatalities, according to Palestinian health officials. This signals an ongoing combat with Hamas-led insurgents while Israel is facing the possibility of a more extensive regional conflict.
Israeli airstrikes targeted a collection of homes in Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza, causing a minimum of 15 deaths, alongside four casualties in the adjoining Al-Nuseirat camp, medical workers reported. These camps in Nuseirat and Bureij are among the densely packed territories’ eight traditional camps, perceived by Israel as militant strongholds.
Furthermore, Israeli aircrafts struck a residential building in Gaza City’s centre, causing the death of five Palestinians. An additional bombardment in the southern metropolis of Khan Younis resulted in a single death and left several injured, according to medic reports.
Subsequently on the same day, it was reported that Israeli bombardments of two schools east of Gaza City caused the death of 15 Palestinians alongside approximately 30 injuries. This was confirmed in a statement by Gaza City’s Civil Emergency Service.
The Israeli military reported attacking the Hamas command centres that were integrated within the Abdel-Fattah Hamouda and Al-Zahra schools in the Tuffah neighbourhood, alleging that these were being used by Hamas insurgents. They accused Hamas of using civilians and their properties for military objectives, a claim that has been categorically denied by Hamas.
Social media circulated videos – which Reuters has yet to authenticate – showed the injured being transported to hospitals via donkey carts. The military wings of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed that they had launched anti-tank rockets and mortar shells at the Israeli forces operating across Gaza, reportedly causing casualties and injuries.
Israel’s defence forces confirmed that they had targeted a series of military facilities across Gaza in the past 24 hours, specifically rocket launch pads.
The Hamas-initiated conflict in Gaza started with a surprise, cross-border incursion into Israeli communities on October 7th of the previous year, according to Israeli reports. This claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis and foreign individuals with approximately 250 hostages taken.
Since that time, a reported total of 39,699 Palestinians, including 22 within the past day, have lost their lives with 91,722 wounded in the devastating aerial and ground offensive by Israel in Gaza, the Gaza health ministry confirmed in a Thursday update.
The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, however, fails to distinguish between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty lists.
Israel is advancing its defensive measures in anticipation of another assault, drawing on recent verbal threats by Iran and its Lebanese ally, Hizbullah. These promises of retaliation follow the assassinations of Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas chief, in Tehran, and Fuad Shukr, a Hizbullah military leader, in Beirut last week. As a result, the somewhat localized hostility between Israel and Hizbullah, an offshoot of the Gaza strife, now has the potential to devolve into a full-scale regional conflict.
Throngs of Palestinians brought their deceased relatives to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis last Thursday, taking time to say final goodbyes before proceeding to the funerals. Images from Reuters demonstrate family members transporting their loved ones’ bodies, encased in labelled plastic bags, and conducting special prayers prior to the funeral ceremonies.
The Israeli military has resubmitted withdrawal demands to several eastern districts in Khan Younis. It has expressed its intent to counterattack forcefully against militants launching rockets from these territories. The instruction to evacuate was issued on X, and locals have reported receipt of text and audio notifications. Many families have reportedly begun to relocate further west towards Al-Mawasi, a zone designated for humanitarian relief but already teeming with displaced households from across the region.
On Thursday, US-based humanitarian organization, the World Central Kitchen (WCK), revealed the death of an off-duty Palestinian employee, Nadi Sallout, on Wednesday near central Gaza’s Deir Al-Balah. Added information regarding the incident is being sought by the WCK. The Israeli military, however, claimed unawareness of the incident, despite ongoing communications with the WCK.
In a previous instance last April, an Israeli airstrike resulted in the deaths of seven WCK staff members, prompting a near month-long cessation of operations. Following investigations, Israel acknowledged significant failures and procedural violations by its military, leading to the dismissal and reprimanding of high-ranking officers.