Gaza, May 26: Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday killed at least 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including a mother and her two children who were inside a tent that was struck, local health officials said.Israel ended a ceasefire and renewed its offensive in March, vowing to destroy Hamas and return the 58 hostages it still holds from the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war.
Israel also blocked the import of all food, medicine and fuel for 2 1/2 months before letting a trickle of aid enter last week.
Israel says it plans to seize full control of Gaza and facilitate what it refers to as the voluntary migration of much of its population of 2 million Palestinians, a plan that has been rejected by Palestinians and much of the international community, and which experts say would likely violate international law.
The strike hit a tent housing displaced people in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, killing the mother, her two children and another relative, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
A strike in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza killed at least five people, including two women and a child, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Additional strikes killed another five people, according to local hospitals.
Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because it operates in densely populated areas. There was no immediate comment from the military on the latest strikes.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people. They are still holding 58, around a third of whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s 19-month offensive has killed over 53,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which says women and children make up most of the dead but does not provide figures for the number of civilians or combatants killed. The offensive has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of the territory’s population.
Separately, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday.
The missile triggered air raid sirens in Jerusalem and other areas. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The Iran-backed Houthis have launched repeated missile attacks targeting Israel as well as international shipping in the Red Sea, portraying it as a response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Most of the targeted ships had no relation to Israel or the conflict.
The United States halted a punishing bombing campaign against the Houthis earlier this month, saying the rebels had pledged to stop attacking ships. That informal ceasefire did not include attacks on Israel.