At least 26 people were killed and 93 injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting a mosque and a school sheltering displaced civilians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to the media office of Gaza’s Hamas-run government.
Palestinian health officials reported an additional 20 casualties since Saturday night in northern Gaza, following Israeli tank deployments in the region, marking the first time in months, and an evacuation advisory to residents.
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The Israeli military stated the strikes targeted “Hamas terrorists” operating from command centres embedded in the Ibn Rushd School and the Shuhada al-Aqsa Mosque in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah.
Hamas denied allegations that it uses civilian infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, and mosques, for military operations.
“The mosque has been here for 20 years, and the neighbourhood has displaced people,” imam Ahmed Fleet said as he retrieved Korans from the debris. “I was shocked when it was struck.”
The airstrikes occurred as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas nears its first anniversary and as Israel intensifies its military actions in Lebanon.
Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources.
In response, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed nearly 42,000 Palestinian lives, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry.
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This ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of nearly all of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents, triggered a hunger crisis, and sparked allegations of genocide at the World Court, which Israel denies.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has called on all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians.
“This is a year marked by heartbreak and unanswered questions. Families have been torn apart, with many loved ones still held against their will. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions have been displaced across the region,” it said.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said Israel had struck 27 houses, schools and displacement shelters across Gaza in the past 48 hours.
Medics said an Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinians in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where Israeli forces have been operating since May.