In a tragic incident that underscores the ongoing violence in Gaza, at least 13 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes, with five of those victims being children, as reported by the civil defense agency in the area. This alarming development occurred on a day when a ceasefire was supposedly in effect, intended to reduce hostilities.
On Thursday, a drone attack specifically targeted a tent where displaced families were seeking refuge in southern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of four people, including three young children. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the local civil defense, provided these details to AFP (Agence France-Presse).
Additionally, in the northern region of the Gaza Strip, tragedy struck near the Jabalia refugee camp, where an 11-year-old girl was killed. A separate strike on a school also resulted in another fatality, and a drone strike near Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza claimed the life of a man, according to the agency's reports.
The civil defense agency, which operates under Hamas authority, further indicated that two other Palestinians, including a child, were killed in various attacks throughout the day. When approached for comment, the Israeli military stated that they were investigating the situation.
As the evening progressed, the situation worsened; four additional individuals were killed in an airstrike targeting a residential house in eastern Gaza City. Bassal noted that rescue efforts were underway to locate several individuals who remained unaccounted for following the strikes, emphasizing the chaotic aftermath of the violence.
"The death toll has risen to 13 due to the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since this morning, representing a blatant breach of the ceasefire agreement," Bassal asserted. Earlier that same day, the Israeli military reported that a projectile had been launched from Gaza City toward Israel, but it landed within the confines of Gaza itself. Subsequently, they claimed to have accurately targeted the launch site in response.
Since the initiation of a fragile truce backed by the United States on October 10, fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas had significantly decreased; however, both parties have accused each other of violating the ceasefire repeatedly. Hazem Qassem, a spokesperson for Hamas, stated that the strikes on Thursday "underscore the Israeli occupation’s disregard for its commitments to the ceasefire."
According to Gaza's health ministry, Israeli forces have reportedly killed at least 425 Palestinians in the region since the ceasefire began. In a particularly deadly incident on November 22, 21 individuals lost their lives due to Israeli strikes, marking one of the most lethal days in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect. During this period, the Israeli military also reported that militants had killed three of its soldiers.
