Seven Palestinians Killed in Latest Israeli Strikes on Khan Younis
At least seven Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Sunday as Israeli forces intensified their military operations across the Gaza Strip, targeting civilian areas in Gaza City and Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA and local sources
Deadly Strikes Across Gaza
In southern Gaza, an Israeli drone strike in Abasan, east of Khan Younis, killed two Palestinian farmers and wounded others, underscoring the vulnerability of civilians engaged in essential activities.
In the nearby town of Khuza’a, civil defense teams recovered the body of Ayesh Qudeih from the rubble of a home destroyed in an earlier Israeli bombing, highlighting the ongoing challenges in reaching victims trapped under debris.
Further west, in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, Israeli artillery shelling claimed the life of 23-year-old Waseem Abu Mousa.
In Gaza City, two separate drone strikes killed four Palestinians: two in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood on Wadi Al-Arayes Street and two in Al-Shujaiya, both targeting civilian gatherings.
Escalating Death Toll and Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that Israel’s military campaign, ongoing since October 2023, has resulted in at least 51,157 confirmed Palestinian deaths and 116,724 injuries.
The Gaza Government Media Office estimates a higher toll, exceeding 61,700, with thousands presumed dead under rubble, inaccessible to rescue teams due to continued Israeli attacks.
Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces bombed camps for displaced people, killing at least 54 Palestinians across Gaza in the past day alone.
Political Stalemate Amid Violence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to escalate the war, rejecting a temporary truce proposed by Hamas.
The Palestinian group demands a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in exchange for releasing remaining captives.
Hamas also reported uncertainty regarding the fate of Israeli-American captive Edan Alexander after recovering the body of his guard.
Despite UN Security Council calls for an immediate ceasefire and International Court of Justice directives to prevent genocide and address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, Israel’s operations continue unabated, deepening the region’s suffering.