Palestinians on Saturday buried a pregnant woman carrying twins and two of her children, among at least 13 people killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza. The fatalities on Friday included two men in Gaza City and eight others in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to local hospitals.
Strikes in Khan Younis
Officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported that the eight deceased, including four police officers, died after Israel targeted a police vehicle. The circumstances of the attack remain under scrutiny.
Personal Tragedy in Beit Lahiya
Khalid Al-Tanani, from Beit Lahiya, recounted the series of strikes that killed his wife and two of his four children in the northern Gaza Strip. "With the first shell, thank God we all survived and were calling out to each other. Then they fired the second, third, and fourth shells one after the other. Their voices fell silent," he said. "I went inside and found my wife, Islam Al-Tanani, martyred, and my son, Hamza, and Naya in her mother's arms. I found them martyred." The children were aged 4 and 13. Hamza's 13-year-old twin survived, along with another child. Al-Tanani noted they had just begun discussing gathering baby items for the expected twins.
Family members wailed over the bodies on Saturday. "You took my soul with you, Hamza, you took me with you and broke me, Hamza," his grandmother sobbed.
Military Response
Israel's military stated that several militants had threatened troops in the area and that an airstrike was conducted after warning civilians. Al-Tanani insisted the strikes came without prior notice. The military said it targeted two militants threatening troops in Gaza City but did not comment on the third strike in Khan Younis that killed eight.
Ceasefire Violations
While the heaviest fighting has subsided, deadly Israeli strikes have repeatedly disrupted the truce since it took effect on October 10. The escalating Palestinian toll has led many in Gaza to feel the war has continued unabated. Israeli forces frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, and militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops. Israel asserts its strikes are in response to such violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israeli attacks have killed over 790 people since the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was implemented six months ago. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts, though it does not distinguish between civilians and militants.
Overall, the health ministry reports 72,300 Palestinians killed since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack saw militants storm into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
