Cairo: Israeli airstrikes early Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least 24 Palestinians in Gaza City, including a sister of Ismail Haniyeh, the chief of the militant Islamist Hamas group, according to Gaza health officials and medics.
Israeli tanks also advanced into western areas of Rafah in southern Gaza overnight, destroying homes, as reported by residents.
Medics confirmed that two airstrikes hit schools in Gaza City, claiming the lives of at least 14 individuals. Another strike on a house in the Shati (Beach) refugee camp, one of Gaza’s historical camps, resulted in the deaths of 10 more people.
The targeted house in Shati belonged to the extended family of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, currently based in Qatar. Among the casualties were one of his sisters and other relatives, as confirmed by family members and medics.
Israel’s military stated that its operations targeted militants in Gaza City involved in planning attacks on Israel. These included individuals linked to hostage-taking and Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7.
“The Israeli Air Force targeted structures used by Hamas terrorists in Shati and Daraj Tuffah in northern Gaza,” stated the military, accusing Hamas of using school compounds for military activities.
Also Read | Chang’e-6 Returns with Moon’s Far Side Samples, Marking a Historic Milestone for China
Hamas, however, denies these allegations, describing the attacks on schools and the house in Shati camp as “massacres.”
“We hold the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden responsible for the ongoing genocide against our Palestinian people in Gaza, by providing political and military support to the Zionist government and its criminal army,” Hamas declared in a statement.
In a separate incident, Hamas and Islamic Jihad armed wings jointly claimed responsibility for firing mortar bombs at Israeli forces overnight in the Yibna neighborhood of eastern Rafah.
Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, medics reported injuries from Israeli tank shelling at a tent camp in the city’s west.
