At Least 24 Palestinians Confirmed Dead Following New Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza

Gaza, Jan 4 (NationPress) A minimum of 24 Palestinians were reported dead as a result of Israeli warplanes conducting new airstrikes over the Gaza Strip, with local sources indicating that the Israeli military has threatened to bomb a hospital located in northern Gaza.

On Friday, airstrikes targeted a group of Palestinians in the Al-Sayed Ali area within the Al-Shujaiya neighborhood, situated east of Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including four children and a woman, as stated by Gaza's Civil Defence.

Earlier that same day, five people were killed and numerous others were injured near the entrance of Al-Shifa Hospital, located west of Gaza City, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.

The Al-Ahli Arab Hospital confirmed that it received the bodies of five victims from an airstrike on Al-Nasr Street, also in the western part of Gaza City. Paramedics later recovered five additional bodies, including three children, following airstrikes in the Al-Zeitoun and Al-Sabra neighborhoods.

In central Gaza, two individuals lost their lives when an Israeli strike hit a civilian vehicle in Al-Zawaida town. Their remains were transported to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, as reported by hospital officials.

Additionally, Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza stated that it received an ultimatum from the Israeli military to evacuate immediately or face impending bombing, while intense artillery shelling was reported in the vicinity.

The Israeli military has yet to respond to these events, but it did announce on Friday that its air force had targeted 40 Hamas sites, which included command centers and operational facilities. The army accused Hamas of utilizing civilian structures, such as schools, for military purposes, labeling it a “cynical exploitation” of the civilian population in Gaza.

These airstrikes are part of Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza, which were initiated following a deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 hostages.

Moreover, at least 33 Palestinians were killed during intense Israeli airstrikes across Gaza overnight, as reported by Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal.

In central Gaza, nine Palestinians were killed, and 10 others were injured due to Israeli bombings targeting a house in the Maghazi refugee camp, while 11 fatalities and 20 injuries were reported from bombings of two houses and an apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Basal.

Eight Palestinians also died in Israeli airstrikes on three homes located in the towns of Deir al-Balah and Al-Zawayda, including a journalist, Basal confirmed.

The media office operated by the Hamas-run government in Gaza reported that journalist Omar al-Diraoui and his parents were among those killed in an airstrike on Al-Zawayda, raising the total number of journalists killed since the conflict began to 202.

In southern Gaza, two individuals were killed, and two others were injured during an Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian gathering in Khirbet al-Adas, north of Rafah, according to Basal.

Additionally, three more fatalities were reported from an Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian assembly in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, located north of Gaza City.

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military stated it had conducted raids on around 40 sites utilized by Hamas throughout Gaza since the previous day.

The airstrikes specifically targeted Hamas command and control centers, as well as congregating points used by militants who orchestrated attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, resulting in the deaths of “dozens” of militants operating from these locations, as per a joint statement from the Israel Defence Forces and the Shin Bet security agency.

As of Friday, Gaza-based health authorities reported that the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks has climbed to 45,658, with injuries totaling 108,583, following the deaths of 77 individuals and injuries to 145 others over the past 24 hours.