Tragic Toll: Israeli Airstrikes Claim Lives in Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
Casualties from Recent Airstrikes
Cairo: On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, including two young boys, a pregnant woman, and eight police officers, as reported by local hospital officials.
A morning strike targeted a residence in the Nuseirat refugee camp, claiming the lives of four individuals, which included a couple in their thirties and their 10-year-old son. The hospital indicated that the woman was expecting twins.
Additionally, a 15-year-old neighbor was also reported among the fatalities and was taken to Awda hospital in Nuseirat.
"We were asleep when the missile struck. It was a powerful explosion, and there was no warning," recounted Mahmoud al-Muhtaseb, a local resident.
In the afternoon, another airstrike targeted a police vehicle on the Salah al-Din route, resulting in the deaths of eight police officers, including Colonel Iyad Ab Yousef, a senior official in central Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the death toll and reported that 14 others sustained injuries.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on these strikes.
Hamas manages a police force that has maintained public security since taking control of Gaza in 2007, while also suppressing dissent.
During the ongoing conflict, many police officers retreated as Israeli forces captured significant portions of Gaza and targeted Hamas security personnel with airstrikes.
However, following a ceasefire in October, police presence has been restored in areas not under Israeli military control.
These recent fatalities add to the growing number of Palestinian casualties in Gaza since the ceasefire aimed to end a prolonged conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Despite a reduction in intense fighting, Israeli fire continues almost daily, with repeated airstrikes and gunfire directed at Palestinians near military zones, resulting in over 650 Palestinian deaths, according to health officials in Gaza.
Israel claims its actions are responses to ceasefire violations or aimed at apprehending wanted militants. However, reports indicate that nearly half of those killed are women and children, as per the Gaza Health Ministry.
These casualties are part of a larger toll of over 72,200 Palestinians who have died in the conflict, which escalated after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and more than 250 hostages taken.
The health ministry, aligned with the Hamas-led government, keeps comprehensive casualty records that are generally regarded as reliable by UN agencies and independent analysts, although they do not differentiate between civilians and militants.
Militant groups have also conducted shooting attacks against Israeli troops, prompting claims from Israel that its airstrikes are retaliatory measures.