On Friday, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli air strikes resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals in various locations across the war-ravaged territory.
The emergency service noted that the strikes occurred in the early morning, involving both aerial bombardments and artillery shelling, particularly impacting areas north of the southern city of Khan Yunis. Agency official Mohammed al-Mughayyir stated that 10 of the victims were killed in two separate strikes in the Khan Yunis area, which included one strike on a house and another on tents that were providing shelter to displaced persons.
Additionally, in Gaza’s northern region, four individuals were killed in an air strike in the Jabalia al-Nazla area. It is important to note that due to media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing various regions, agencies such as AFP cannot independently verify the casualty figures or the details shared by the civil defense agency and other entities.
The Israeli military had not immediately commented on these incidents but requested specific coordinates for investigation when contacted by AFP. These latest attacks followed an event on Thursday, in which Israel reportedly struck Gaza’s only Catholic church with what was described as a “stray” round, leading to three fatalities and drawing international condemnation.
On Wednesday, it was reported that at least 20 individuals lost their lives during a crowd crush at a food aid distribution center in southern Gaza, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas commenced in Doha, Qatar, on July 6, aimed at establishing a 60-day ceasefire after 21 months of ongoing conflict. This war began following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,219 deaths, primarily among civilians, based on an AFP tally of official data. In retaliation, Israel’s military offensive has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 58,667 Palestinians, the majority of whom are also reported to be civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
