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Israeli strikes on Gaza add to soaring child death toll Israeli strikes on Gaza add to soaring child death toll
(about 7 hours later)
At least 58 people die overnight but toll expected to rise with timing of strikes blamed for high number of women and children killed Hospitals say high proportion of women and children among dead in latest strikes
At least 58 Palestinians have been killed and many more injured in a third successive night of Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to medical officials at hospitals in the strip. At least 91 Palestinians have been killed and many more injured in a third day of Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to medical officials in the strip, who said a high proportion of the dead were women and children.
The death toll is expected to rise as further casualties are dug from rubble in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis and the northern town of Beit Lahiya. The timing of the strikes in the new Israeli offensive appears to have increased the proportion of women and children among the victims, with many sleeping when the missiles struck overnight or very early in the morning. Among those pulled alive from rubble on Thursday was a month-old baby girl, but her parents and brother were killed.
The timing of the strikes in the new Israeli offensive, which began on Tuesday, appears to have increased the proportion of women and children among the victims, with many sleeping when the missiles struck.
A first wave of airstrikes on Tuesday shattered a two-month pause in hostilities and killed more than 400, according to the health ministry in Gaza, in what may have been the single bloodiest day of the 18-month conflict. The dead included 183 children and 94 women, Palestinian officials said.A first wave of airstrikes on Tuesday shattered a two-month pause in hostilities and killed more than 400, according to the health ministry in Gaza, in what may have been the single bloodiest day of the 18-month conflict. The dead included 183 children and 94 women, Palestinian officials said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the most recent overnight strikes. Israeli media have reported that the new air offensive is aimed at senior political and military Hamas officials, and have identified some killed. Warnings telling Palestinians to evacuate areas in the north and east of Gaza to avoid being trapped by fighting have been issued by the Israeli military, suggesting ground assaults could be imminent, although Israel appears to be relying on air power for now.
Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that Israel had attacked “dozens of terror targets and terrorists in Gaza, including Hamas commanders, to weaken their military and governmental capabilities and remove threats to Israel”. Thursday’s strikes appeared concentrated on the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis and the northern town of Beit Lahiya.
Israel has also issued new warnings to Palestinians to evacuate areas in the north and east of Gaza to avoid being trapped by fighting and has reoccupied theNetzarim corridor, a key strip of land that divides Gaza into northern and southern halves. A strike on a family home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village near Khan Younis, killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of the month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.
As part of the ceasefire deal signed in January after more than a year of indirect negotiations, Israel had withdrawn from the corridor, where it had demolished almost all existing buildings, widened a road and built a series of strongpoints.
The new Israeli evacuation orders suggest ground assaults could be imminent, although Israeli forces appear to be relying on air power for now.
A strike on Thursday on a family home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village near Khan Younis close to the border with Israel, killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.
The home was within an area covered by a recent evacuation order.The home was within an area covered by a recent evacuation order.
“Another tough night,” said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble. “The house collapsed over the people’s heads.” “The house collapsed over the people’s heads,” said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors.
The European hospital in the southern city of Rafah said it had received 26 bodies after the overnight strikes, mostly women and children. The Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian hospital said it had received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike on a home in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border. The European hospital in the southern city of Rafah said it had received 26 bodies after the overnight strikes, mostly women and children. The Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian hospital said it received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border. A second strike in Beit Lahiya killed many mourners at a funeral, survivors said.
A spokesperson for al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah said 70% of the injured were women and children, most arriving in critical condition.
Zaher al-Wahidi, the director of the health information centre at the health ministry in Gaza, said the situation in all hospitals was catastrophic.
“The injured are lying on the ground with blood covering the floors of the hospitals. We are suffering greatly from a shortage of supplies for emergency and intensive care, as well as for surgeries and medical equipment. There is a severe shortage of fuel stations, desalination stations, oxygen, and a critical shortage of fuel in the hospitals,” Wahidi said.
In its first military response to the Israeli offensive since the ceasefire was broken, Hamas fired rockets at Tel Aviv in Israel. No casualties or damage were reported.
Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said earlier this week that Israel had attacked “terror targets and terrorists in Gaza … to weaken their military and governmental capabilities and remove threats to Israel”.
Israeli media have reported that the new air offensive is aimed at senior political and military Hamas officials, and have identified several killed, including the head of Hamas’s internal security agency.
On Wednesday the IDF reoccupied the Netzarim corridor, a key strip of land that divides Gaza into northern and southern halves.
As part of the ceasefire deal signed in January, Israel had withdrawn from the corridor, where it had demolished almost all existing buildings, widened a road and built a series of strongpoints.
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Israel and Hamas blame each other for the collapse of the ceasefire, which had largely held since coming into effect in mid-January and had brought some respite for Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants.Israel and Hamas blame each other for the collapse of the ceasefire, which had largely held since coming into effect in mid-January and had brought some respite for Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants.
Hamas, which still holds 59 of about 250 hostages it seized in the October 2023 attack into southern Israel that triggered the conflict, says it wants to conclude the three-phase ceasefire deal agreed after more than a year of indirect talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US. More than half of the hostages are thought to be dead.Hamas, which still holds 59 of about 250 hostages it seized in the October 2023 attack into southern Israel that triggered the conflict, says it wants to conclude the three-phase ceasefire deal agreed after more than a year of indirect talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US. More than half of the hostages are thought to be dead.
The group said on Thursday that talks with mediators to halt the Israeli offensive were continuing, and called again for Israel to abide by the earlier agreement.The group said on Thursday that talks with mediators to halt the Israeli offensive were continuing, and called again for Israel to abide by the earlier agreement.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, and other Israel officials said the decision to renew attacks in Gaza came after Hamas had rejected proposals for a 30-60-day extension of the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire. They consulted the Trump administration before the strikes. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, and other Israel officials said the decision to renew attacks in Gaza came after Hamas rejected proposals for a 30-to 60-day extension of the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire.
Hamas does not appear to have responded militarily to the new Israeli offensive, but sirens sounded across much of Israel at 4am on Thursday to warn of an incoming missile launched by the Yemen-based Houthi militia. The missile was intercepted by Israel’s air defence system. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Thursday that Donald Trump backed Israel’s new offensive and blamed Hamas for the violence.
The Hamas surprise attack in 2023 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 49,000 Palestinians, also mostly civilians. “He fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that they’ve taken in recent days,” Leavitt told reporters.
Critics in Israel have accused Netanyahu of resuming the offensive to reinforce his coalition government before a crucial budget vote in parliament, to rally support for the war in the face of popular backing for a ceasefire to return the hostages, and to head off widespread public anger over his attempt to fire the head of the internal security service, the Shin Bet. “Let’s not forget that this situation is completely the fault of Hamas when they launched that brutal attack on Israel on 7 October, and the president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home.”
Underlining the deep divisions in Israel, tens of thousands of people protested against the renewed offensive and Netanyahu’s government on Wednesday. More demonstrations were planned on Thursday. Sirens sounded across much of Israel at 4am on Thursday to warn of an incoming missile launched by the Yemen-based Houthi militia. The missile was intercepted by Israel’s air-defence system.
With Reuters The Hamas surprise attack in 2023 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, also mostly civilians.
Critics in Israel have accused Netanyahu of resuming the offensive to reinforce his coalition government before a crucial budget vote in parliament, to rally support for the war in the face of popular backing for a ceasefire to return the hostages, and to head off widespread public anger over his attempt to fire the head of the internal security service, Shin Bet.
Underlining the deep divisions in Israel, hundreds of Israelis protested outside Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Thursday. Police used a water cannon after some tried to break through barricades. More demonstrations were planned on Thursday.