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Palestinian Authorities Report At Least 20 Killed in Israeli Airstrike in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 20 individuals, predominantly women and children, as reported by Palestinian authorities on Tuesday.

This incident is part of Israel’s almost month-long aerial and ground campaign in what is already the most secluded and devastated region of the territory.

The airstrike, which occurred late Monday, struck a residence housing several displaced families in Beit Lahiya, near the Israeli border, according to Hossam Abu Safiya, the director of the heavily damaged Kamal Adwan Hospital, which received the victims.

The Israeli Defence Forces stated the target was a weapons storage site used by a militant, adding that extensive measures were taken to avoid civilian casualties.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency services, the fatalities included eight women and six children. Other airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday led to an additional 10 fatalities, as confirmed by health officials.

Israel initiated the northern offensive, claiming Hamas militants had reassembled there. The military has repeatedly returned to various parts of Gaza following previous operations, with Hamas continuing to execute guerrilla attacks and sporadically launching rockets into Israel.

The military has mandated the full evacuation of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and the Jabaliya refugee camp, while permitting minimal humanitarian aid into the area for over a month, drawing criticism from the Biden administration. The US has cautioned that American laws might compel a reduction in military assistance to Israel if more aid is not permitted.

The United Nations estimates approximately 100,000 people remain in the area, with tens of thousands having fled to Gaza City since the onset of Israel’s recent offensive. Around 90% of the 2.3 million population has been displaced during the 13-month-old conflict, often repeatedly.

The three hospitals in the area have been largely unreachable due to the conflict, and ambulance services have ceased. Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital last month, alleging Hamas militants were hiding there, claims that Palestinian health officials deny.

The offensive has raised concerns among Palestinians about a potential ‘surrender-or-starve’ strategy for northern Gaza, proposed by former generals, where civilians would be forced out, aid cut off, and those remaining deemed combatants.

The Israeli military denies any such orders, though the government has not clarified if it is considering the plan. Palestinian officials reported that another series of Israeli strikes early Tuesday killed 10 people, including four children and two women.

In one incident, a strike on a house in Gaza City’s Tufah neighbourhood resulted in the deaths of two children and their parents, with two other children injured, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services.

The Israeli military asserts its targets are militants, whom it accuses of using civilians as shields. It seldom comments on specific strikes, which often result in civilian casualties.

The conflict began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking approximately 250 hostages. Roughly 100 captives remain in Gaza, with about a third presumed dead.

Israel’s retaliatory actions have resulted in over 43,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Still, claims over half of the casualties are women and children.

Frances Ibiefo