Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 14 Palestinians, including a mother and her two children who were in a tent, according to local medical officials.
Israel ended the truce and resumed operations in March, vowing to dismantle Hamas and return the 58 hostages it has held since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that started the war. Israel also blocked all food, medicine and fuel supplies for two and a half months before allowing small humanitarian aid in last week.
Israel says it wants to establish full control over Gaza and facilitate what it calls the voluntary migration of much of its two million Palestinian population. The plan has been rejected by both the Palestinians and much of the international community and is considered likely to violate international law by experts.
The strike hit a camp for displaced persons in Deir al-Balah, located in the central Gaza Strip, killing a mother, her two children and another relative, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital.
The strike in the northern Gaza region of Jabaliya killed at least five people, including two women and a child, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Five more people were killed in subsequent attacks, according to local health officials.
Israel says it is taking pains to avoid harming civilians and blames the deaths on Hamas, which operates in densely populated areas. There was no immediate response from the military about the latest attacks.
Militants affiliated with Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and kidnapped 251. They are currently holding 58 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be alive, while most of the rest have been released as part of ceasefires or other agreements.
Israel's 19-month offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, but it has not provided exact figures on the number of civilians or militants killed. The offensive has devastated large swathes of Gaza and forced about 90% of its population to flee their homes.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
