Gaza, Jan 11 (NationPress) Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 22 Palestinians, among them a journalist, as officials caution that fuel shortages could lead to a severe communications blackout in Gaza. The Civil Defence in Gaza reported eight fatalities along with numerous injuries from an airstrike that targeted a group of individuals and a residence in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. Following this, another airstrike on the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
In the southern region of Gaza, specifically in Khan Younis, medical personnel at Nasser Hospital confirmed the recovery of four bodies after aerial and artillery assaults hit multiple sites in the city. Additionally, in Al-Nuseirat, central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported three fatalities, including journalist Sa'ed Nabhan from Al-Ghad TV, alongside six injuries caused by artillery shelling and drone strikes.
The death of Nabhan has raised the toll of journalists killed since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023, to 203, according to Gaza's government media office.
Meanwhile, Gaza's Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Abdul Razzaq Al-Natsha, warned that communication services, including internet access and landlines, may be cut off by Friday night due to ongoing fuel shortages. The fuel crisis, worsened by Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid, poses a significant threat to emergency services and exacerbates the already critical humanitarian situation, he stated.
The protracted conflict, extending beyond 460 days, was ignited following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 1,200 Israelis losing their lives and approximately 250 hostages taken. Israel's extensive military action in Gaza has led to more than 46,000 Palestinian deaths, as per health authorities in Gaza.
In a separate incident, five individuals were killed and four others injured on Friday due to an Israeli airstrike that targeted Tayr Debba, a municipality in southern Lebanon's Tyre district, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
According to the official National News Agency, an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in Tayr Debba, which resulted in five deaths and four injuries, all of whom were transported to hospitals in Tyre.
Additionally, the General Directorate of Civil Defence announced the recovery of five bodies believed to be victims of recent Israeli strikes on the Lebanese town of Khiam, located in eastern southern Lebanon.
Despite a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, which came into effect on November 27, 2024, Israel has continued to carry out sporadic strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, some leading to casualties.
In a statement on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed that their aircraft targeted a vehicle loaded with weapons belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The airstrike was executed after IDF operatives observed several militants loading weapons onto the truck, as per the statement.
Earlier, the IDF mentioned in a separate statement that during search operations in a southern Lebanese village, Israeli forces discovered a multi-barrel rocket launcher, hundreds of mortar shells, explosive devices, and RPG rifles within a structure. They also located anti-tank fire positions and hidden weapon caches nearby.
In another operation, Israeli troops uncovered a weapons storage facility containing numerous shoulder-launched missiles, explosive charges, and extensive military equipment, with the IDF stating that all identified weapons were either confiscated or dismantled.
