Beirut, Apr 29: Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip overnight into Monday killed at least 27 Palestinians, according to local health officials.Israel has carried out daily strikes on Gaza since ending its ceasefire with Hamas last month. It has cut off the territory’s two million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March in what it says is an attempt to pressure the militant group to release hostages.
The daily bombardment and widespread hunger is taking a heavy toll on Gaza’s most vulnerable residents, including pregnant women and children.
An airstrike hit a home in Beit Lahiya, killing 10 people, including a Palestinian prisoner, Abdel-Fattah Abu Mahadi, who had been released as part of the ceasefire. His wife, two of their children and a grandchild were also killed, according to the Indonesian Hospital, which received the bodies.
Another strike hit a home in Gaza City, killing seven people, including two women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency service. Two other people were wounded.
Late Sunday, a strike hit a home in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing at least 10 people, including five siblings as young as four-years-old, according to the Health Ministry. Two other children were killed along with their parents, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel says it makes every effort to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in densely populated areas.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of Gaza and left most of its population homeless.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is either destroyed or agrees to disarm and leave the territory. He says Israel will then implement US President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle much of Gaza’s population in other countries through what the Israeli leader refers to as “voluntary emigration.”
Palestinians say the plan would amount to forcible expulsion from their homeland after Israel’s offensive left much of Gaza uninhabitable. Human rights experts say it would likely violate international law.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire that Israel ended.