The Israeli military has targeted residential buildings, public facilities and infrastructure across the Gaza Strip, killing at least nine members of a family in the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Reporting from central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said on Thursday that Israeli ground forces were conducting a military operation seeking to expand the Netzarim Corridor – a 6.5km (4-mile) stretch established in the centre of the enclave by the Israeli military that divides northern and southern Gaza.
“In doing so, it carries out these attacks to destroy remaining residential buildings … that the Israeli military claims are being used as observation points by Palestinian fighters,” Mahmoud reported, adding that witnesses said there were large numbers of civilians inside these homes.
In northern Gaza, Israeli jets carried out air raids, targeting the remaining residential buildings in the town of Beit Lahiya, killing at least four people, Mahmoud said.
In the south, at least four people were killed on Thursday morning when Israeli drones attacked a group of Palestinian civilians near a camp for displaced people in the town of Abasan, east of the city of Khan Younis, according to the Wafa news agency.
Israel’s army has not commented on the recent attacks. It usually claims its operations target Hamas and that it makes efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
The United Nations said earlier this month that more than 70 percent of those confirmed killed in Gaza are women and children.
Blocking aid
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on social media platform X that Israeli authorities denied 82 of 91 attempts by the UN to deliver aid to northern Gaza between early October and November 25.
Israel also impeded nine other attempts to bring humanitarian supplies to the north of the territory, which has been under an Israeli military siege and constant bombardment for more than 50 days.
“The conditions for survival are diminishing for the 65,000-75,000 people estimated to remain there,” UNRWA said on Thursday.
Israel’s war in Gaza has killed at least 44,282 Palestinians and wounded 104,880 others since October 7, 2023.
There has been no progress in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, but the United States – Israel’s main political and military ally – has said it will make renewed efforts to achieve one.
“Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and the end to the war without Hamas in power,” US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in a parallel conflict, took effect on Wednesday and was holding on Thursday.
