Israeli airstrikes early Monday on northern Gaza killed at least 17 Palestinians, local health authorities reported, reports UNB.
Israel has been launching daily attacks on Gaza since breaking its ceasefire with Hamas last month. Since early March, it has also blocked all imports, including food and medical supplies, into the territory's 2 million-strong population, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.
The ongoing bombardment and severe shortages are devastating Gaza’s most vulnerable, particularly pregnant women and children.
In Beit Lahiya, an airstrike struck a house, killing 10 people, including Abdel-Fattah Abu Mahadi, a Palestinian recently freed under the previous truce. His wife, two children, and a grandchild were among the victims, according to the Indonesian Hospital, which received the bodies.
Separately, another airstrike on a home in Gaza City killed seven people, including two women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency services. Two others were injured.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Israel maintains it tries to minimize civilian casualties and holds Hamas responsible for deaths by operating from densely populated areas.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 others. Hamas continues to hold 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after most captives were released during truce agreements.
Israel’s counteroffensive has so far claimed more than 52,000 Palestinian lives, predominantly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, though it does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The Israeli assault has also devastated large parts of Gaza, displacing the majority of its residents.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue the military campaign until all hostages are freed and Hamas is eliminated or disarmed. He also supports a plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump to resettle much of Gaza's population abroad through what he calls "voluntary emigration."
Palestinians reject the plan, viewing it as forced displacement, while human rights groups warn it would likely violate international law.
Hamas insists it will only free the remaining hostages if Israel agrees to release more Palestinian prisoners, enact a permanent ceasefire, and fully withdraw from Gaza, as outlined in the now-collapsed ceasefire terms.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
