GAZA: Israel continued its aerial and ground bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip on Friday, killing dozens of Palestinian civilians, as fighting raged around Gaza City’s main Al Shifa hospital, Palestinian officials and the Israeli military said.
Palestinian health officials reported that two Israeli strikes on the Al-Shejaia suburb in eastern Gaza City killed 17 people, while another Israeli air strike on a house in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of eight persons.
Tragically, among the casualties in Al-Shejaia were at least 10 policemen who were tasked with securing aid for displaced persons in northern Gaza, as confirmed by Gaza’s government media office.
The Israeli military, in a statement, asserted that its operations near Gaza City’s Al Shifa complex aimed to minimize harm to civilians, patients, and medical personnel. However, it acknowledged killing a number of Palestinian civilians during the operation.
Al Shifa Hospital, previously one of the few partially operational healthcare facilities in north Gaza, has been providing crucial medical aid to civilians and sheltering displaced persons. However, it has also become a target of the ongoing Israeli violence.
Over 32,632 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Since Oct 7
In Rafah, the southernmost region of Gaza and the last refuge for many Palestinians, Israeli airstrikes continued unabated. Late Thursday, an air strike on a house claimed the lives of 12 Palestinians.
The toll of the conflict continues to rise, with health authorities in Gaza reporting that over 32,632 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since the launch of Israel’s military offensive in October. In the past 24 hours alone, 71 Palestinians have been killed in the relentless Israeli bombardment.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with thousands more feared dead and over 80% of the population displaced, putting them at risk of famine. In the northern Gaza Strip, where the United Nations has warned of imminent famine, reports emerged of an elderly man succumbing to malnutrition and lack of medication.
