The central Gaza Strip has witnessed a tragic escalation in violence as the death toll from Israeli strikes has climbed to 25, including five children, according to hospital officials. The strikes, which occurred in the Nuseirat refugee camp, resulted in the initial report of 16 casualties on Thursday. However, the Al-Aqsa hospital has continued to receive bodies, with a total of 21 dead bodies from the strikes, some of which were transferred from the Awda hospital.
Among the victims were an 18-month-old child and his 10-year-old sister, whose father had been killed in a previous Israeli airstrike four months ago. The children's mother was reported missing as of Friday. Additionally, four more individuals lost their lives in strikes on a motorcycle in Zuwaida and a house in Deir al-Balah on Friday, bringing the overall toll to 25.
The Israeli military has not provided specific comments on these strikes but stated that armed militants were targeted in central and southern Gaza on Thursday. The ongoing offensive by Israel in the Gaza Strip has resulted in a devastating toll, with health officials reporting over 43,000 Palestinian casualties since October 7, 2023. Disturbingly, the officials note that over half of the deceased are women and children.
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza was initiated in response to a Hamas attack on October 7, during which militants killed approximately 1,200 individuals and took 250 hostages back to Gaza. The situation remains dire as the conflict continues to claim innocent lives and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region.
