At least 40 Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday, according to Palestinian health officials and a human rights group. The strikes targeted multiple locations, with one of the deadliest incidents occurring in the northern town of Jabalia.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) reported that at least 24 people lost their lives when a three-story residential building in Jabalia was destroyed at dawn. An additional 30 individuals from nearby houses were wounded in the blast.
The Israeli military stated that it struck a site in Jabalia where “terrorists were operating,” asserting that these individuals posed a threat to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops operating in the area. “The details are under review,” the military added.
In Gaza City, an Israeli airstrike in the Sabra neighborhood resulted in the death of Wael Al-Khour, an official at the welfare ministry, along with his wife, one son, two daughters, and three grandchildren, according to medical officials and relatives. The Israeli military indicated that it was investigating the report.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced that its teams, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross, evacuated 20 patients from Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia to another facility in Gaza City. They reported that one patient died after ambulances were delayed for hours at an Israeli checkpoint separating northern Gaza from Gaza City.
Hospitals in and around Jabalia have been besieged by Israeli forces for several weeks. Despite severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and fuel, hospital officials have refused military orders to evacuate or abandon their patients.
The Israeli military has accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of using the civilian population and infrastructure in Gaza for military purposes—an allegation that Hamas denies. Hamas’ armed wing claimed responsibility for killing 15 Israeli soldiers in an attack in the city of Beit Lahiya, north of Jabalia, on Sunday. There has been no comment from Israel regarding this claim, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the account.
UN Reports High Civilian Casualties in Gaza Conflict
The United Nations Human Rights Office reported on November 8 that nearly 70% of the verified fatalities in the Gaza conflict have been women and children. The office condemned what it described as a systematic violation of international humanitarian law’s fundamental principles.
The UN’s verified tally includes only those fatalities confirmed by at least three sources, with verification efforts ongoing. The youngest victim confirmed by UN monitors was a one-day-old boy, while the oldest was a 97-year-old woman.
Children aged 18 or under represent 44% of the victims, with those aged five to nine constituting the largest age group among the fatalities. The report highlighted concerns over the principles of distinction and proportionality in the conduct of hostilities.
(With input from Reuters)
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At least 40 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, medics say
cgtn.com
