(Forelines) – At least 29 Palestinians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike, in a residential building in the Shejaia in Gaza City, according to the local health officials report on Wednesday.
According to Medics, dozens of others were injured in the airstrike that target a multi-story residential building in the eastern suburb of Gaza City. Several people were still believed to be missing and possibly trapped under the ruins of the building. The attack destroyed many other houses nearby, medics added.
In a statement, the Israeli military stated it targeted a senior Hamas militant involved in planning and carrying out strikes from Shejaia in northern Gaza, though the individual was not identify. The military stated numerous measures were taken prior the strike to mitigate harm to civilians.
According to Local health officials nine other Palestinians were killed in different Israeli military attacks in other parts of the region, increasing death toll on Wednesday’s to 38.
The military issued an evacuation order to Shejaia residents last week, citing military intended to operate against Hamas militants in the region.
Israel restarted its bombardment of Gaza on March 18 following a two-month ceasefire and sent soldiers back into the enclave. since the three weeks, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reports Israeli force attacks have killed approx 1,500 Palestinians.
Since late March Israel has instructed residents of Gaza out of region surrounding the edges of the enclave to create what it describes as a security buffer. However many Gazans fear it may be intended to permanently clear large parts of the territory.
Meanwhile, the military wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have resumed launching rockets toward Israel.
Israel and Hamas have have exchanged allegations over the impasse in ceasefire negotiations. Arab mediators Egypt and Qatar, backing by the U.S., have intensified diplomatic efforts to recover calm but have so far failed to close the gap between the warring parties.
Israel’s conflict in Gaza was intensified in October 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took few 250 hostages, as per the Israel’s tallies.
Since then, over 50,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli force campaign, according to Palestinian officials.