An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals and injured 22 others, according to local officials reporting on Friday.
Gaza’s civil defense agency, operating as a rescue service under Hamas, reported that eight civilians were killed when Israeli warplanes targeted a crowd in the Al‑Balata market area of the Nuseirat refugee camp.
The Al‑Awda hospital confirmed receiving the eight deceased and the 22 wounded persons following the attack.
What we know about the strike in Gaza
The AFP news agency reported that the strike occurred during a funeral procession and cited civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal.
Israel’s military (IDF) said it had struck a “terrorist cell” belonging to Palestinian Islamic Jihad and acknowledged that civilians may have been harmed in the strike.
“A short while ago, the IDF struck a terrorist cell of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in the central Gaza Strip,” the military said.
“The IDF is aware of the claims that several uninvolved individuals were harmed as a result of the strike. The results of the strike are under review.”
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in October aimed at ending a two‑year conflict that began with the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, at least 1,127 Palestinians have been killed since the truce commenced.
The IDF reported the deaths of at least five Israeli soldiers in Gaza during the same period.
The dangers of living along Gaza’s shifting front lines
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Edited by: Sean Sinico
