GAZA: Hospitals in the Gaza Strip said Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians on Saturday, one of the deadliest days since an October ceasefire agreement aimed at halting the fighting.
The strikes hit areas in northern and southern Gaza, including an apartment building in Gaza City and a tent in Khan Younis, according to hospital officials who received the bodies. The casualties included two women and six children from two separate families, reports AP.
The attacks came a day before a border crossing is due to open in Gaza’s southernmost city, underscoring that deaths continue even as efforts to advance the ceasefire move forward.
All of Gaza’s border crossings have remained closed since the war began, and Palestinians view the Rafah crossing with Egypt as a critical lifeline for tens of thousands needing medical treatment abroad, after much of the enclave’s health infrastructure was destroyed.
Shifa Hospital said the Gaza City strike killed a mother, three children and another relative early Saturday. Nasser Hospital reported that a strike on a tent camp sparked a fire, killing seven people, including a father, his three children and three grandchildren.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect on October 10. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration, maintains detailed casualty records that are generally regarded as credible by UN agencies and independent experts.
Israel’s military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the strikes.
