On Wednesday (April 9), the Gaza health authorities controlled by Hamas stated that the Israeli military carried out an airstrike in the eastern part of Gaza City in a neighborhood called Shejaiya, resulting in at least 29 Palestinians, including children, dead inside a house.
Medical personnel reported that the attack destroyed several houses, leaving dozens of people injured, with many believed to still be missing and trapped under the debris of the buildings.
In a statement, the Israeli military said they targeted a senior Hamas militant responsible for planning and executing attacks from the Shejaiya community, without disclosing the individual’s identity. The military stated that multiple measures were taken before the attack to minimize harm to civilians.
The Gaza health authorities also mentioned that 9 more Palestinians lost their lives in Israeli military attacks on other areas of the enclave, bringing the death toll on Wednesday to 38.
Last week, the Israeli military ordered residents of the Shejaiya community to evacuate, stating their intention to take action against militants in the area.
After a two-month ceasefire, Israel resumed shelling Gaza on March 18 and sent troops back into the enclave. In the following three weeks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry under Hamas control, Israeli military attacks have led to nearly 1,500 Palestinian deaths.
Since late March, Israel has repeatedly ordered Gazans to leave territories on the edge of the enclave to establish what Israel terms as a security zone. Residents are concerned that Israel’s objective is to permanently clear populations from large swathes of land.
Meanwhile, armed forces of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have resumed launching rockets at Israel.
Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have reached an impasse with both sides blaming each other. With the support of the United States, Qatar and Egypt are making efforts to mediate, but so far, they have not been able to bridge the gap between the two parties.
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing 1200 people and capturing approximately 250 hostages, leading to the eruption of the Gaza War. Palestinian authorities state that since then, over 50,800 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli military operations.
(This article references reports from Reuters)