29 Palestinians were killed on Thursday as Israel intensified attacks on Gaza, targeting homes, shelters, and neighborhoods across the Strip.
Medical sources confirmed to Al Jazeera that 29 Palestinians were killed and others injured on Thursday in ongoing Israeli air and artillery strikes across the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military claimed to have assassinated a senior Hamas commander in the operation.
A Palestinian woman was killed and two others were injured in a strike on a home near Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera.
In the eastern part of the city, a child succumbed to injuries sustained in earlier shelling on the town of al-Fukhari, while another body was recovered following a strike on the Qizan Raswan area.
An Israeli drone also targeted a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Yunis. Additional shelling reportedly struck areas near Um Habiba Mosque and the bicycle market in Qizan al-Najjar, also in southern Khan Yunis.
Further south in Rafah, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire in the al-Shakoush area of al-Mawasi. Another person was killed in a strike on a tent in the al-Zahra area, central Gaza.
Six Killed in Shejaiya
In the Shejaiya neighborhood, eastern Gaza City—where the Israeli army has been carrying out operations for the seventh consecutive day—six Palestinians were killed and others wounded in an airstrike targeting a house belonging to the Abu al-Awn family.
Ambulances transported the victims to the Arab National Hospital. The strike coincided with another attack near al-Samer junction in central Gaza City, which killed four Palestinians, including a young girl.
According to Anadolu News Agency, two people were also injured when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb on the Hassanein family home in the al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City.
In the north, Israeli artillery bombarded Beit Lahia, while warplanes fired flares over eastern Beit Hanoun. Meanwhile, Israeli forces reportedly demolished several residential buildings in Rafah using explosives, and helicopters opened fire on homes and agricultural land in the city.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 41 people were killed and 146 wounded in the past 24 hours. Since the resumption of the assault, the death toll has risen to 1,523, with 3,834 injured.
Overall, the total number of casualties since October 7, 2023, has reached 50,857 killed and 115,875 wounded.
Targeted Assassination
The Israeli military announced the killing of Haitham al-Sheikh Khalil, commander of the Hamas al-Shejaiya Battalion, in a Wednesday airstrike in Gaza City. According to a statement, the army and Shin Bet targeted a command and control center approximately one kilometer from Israeli forces operating in the area.
Israel alleged that Khalil had overseen operations during the Al-Aqsa Flood offensive, including the raid on the Nahal Oz settlement. It also claimed he was responsible for planning and carrying out attacks on Israeli forces, including planting explosives and booby-trapping combat zones.
Ongoing Genocide
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While the violations have been condemned by numerous countries and human rights groups, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the besieged enclave.
(PC, AJA)
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