Dozens killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza City | Israel-Gaza War

Dozens of Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on two densely populated areas in Gaza City.

According to initial reports in Israeli media, the bombings were aimed at assassinating a very high-ranking Hamas commander.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it had attacked Hamas “military infrastructure facilities” after initially reporting dozens of casualties, some of whom were still buried under the rubble.

The attacks hit the al-Shati neighborhood, known as the Beach Camp, and the al-Tuffah district, both of which were hit by heavy explosions. Thirty-eight people were killed, according to Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run government media office. Previous reports had put the death toll at 42.

Emergency services had previously reported a large number of victims, many of whom were taken to Al-Ahli Hospital.

Images shared by social media users showed a scene of significant destruction in al-Shati, with streets covered in dust and smoke and a column of smoke rising.

It was said that further details would be released shortly.

Hamas did not comment on Israel’s claim that its military infrastructure had been hit. It said the attacks were directed against civilians and vowed in a statement that “the occupation and its Nazi leaders will pay the price for their abuses against our people.”

Reuters has obtained footage showing dozens of Palestinians searching for victims in destroyed homes. The footage shows destroyed homes, blown-up walls and rubble and dust filling the streets in al-Shati refugee camp.

The Israeli ground and air offensive in the Gaza Strip was triggered by the incursion of Hamas-led militants into southern Israel on October 7. According to Israeli sources, they killed about 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages.

The offensive has left Gaza in ruins and, according to Palestinian health authorities, has killed more than 37,400 people, including 101 in the last 24 hours. Almost the entire population is homeless and destitute.

More than eight months after the war began, Israel’s advance is now focused on the last two areas that its forces had yet to capture: Rafah on the southern border of the Gaza Strip and the area around Deir al-Balah in the center.

Residents reported that Israeli tanks have stepped up their incursions into the western and northern areas of Rafah in recent days. On Saturday, Israeli forces bombed several areas from the air and ground, forcing many families living in the areas designated as humanitarian zones to flee north.

The Israeli military said its forces continued their “precise, intelligence-based” targeted operations in Rafah, killing numerous Palestinian gunmen and destroying military infrastructure.

On Friday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 25 Palestinians were killed and 50 wounded in Mawasi, west of Rafah. Palestinians said a tank shell hit a tent housing displaced families.

The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident. “An initial investigation indicates that there is no evidence that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) carried out an attack in the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi,” it said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its office in the Gaza Strip was damaged in the attack.

The attack occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Friday when three explosions rocked the walls of the Red Cross compound in Gaza, William Schomburg, the ICRC’s local chief, told reporters on Saturday.

“There were piles of corpses and blood everywhere,” he said.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Saturday called for an “independent investigation” into the attack that damaged the ICRC office.

Agencies contributed to this report