Israeli Air Strike on Gaza Refugee Camp Kills Dozens, Including Women
At least 33 people, including 21 women, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to reports from Hamas-controlled authorities. The strike targeted Jabalia, a densely populated area that has been under siege by Israeli forces for weeks. Israel has not yet commented on the reported attack.
This development comes days after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whose killing had sparked hopes in some circles for a potential end to the conflict. However, Hamas’ deputy leader expressed confidence that the group would emerge stronger, dashing prospects of immediate peace.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden hinted at possible progress towards a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli forces are also engaged in fighting with Hezbollah militants. However, he acknowledged that achieving peace in Gaza would be far more challenging. Biden made these remarks following a meeting in Berlin with leaders from Germany, France, and the U.K.
According to Gaza’s media office, the airstrike also left more than 85 people injured, with several critically wounded. Homes belonging to three families in Jabalia were reportedly hit, and the death toll is feared to rise, as many people are still trapped under the rubble.
Due to communication outages in northern Gaza, independent verification of the attack remains difficult. However, a video circulating on social media, which has not been authenticated, appears to show bodies wrapped in white shrouds at al-Awda Hospital. The hospital’s director described the situation as overwhelming, with wards filled to capacity and some injured receiving treatment on the floor.
Earlier on Friday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported that 39 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes, many of them in Jabalia. The camp, home to around 400,000 people, has been cut off from basic necessities like food and water for over two weeks.
Georgios Petropoulos, head of the UN’s Office for Humanitarian Assistance, described conditions in Jabalia as “atrocious” and stressed the urgent need for aid. He warned of the dire situation civilians are facing, speaking from Rafah in southern Gaza.
Although Israel claimed to have sent 30 trucks of supplies into northern Gaza, including food, water, and medical aid, local health officials said these resources had not reached the most affected areas, like Jabalia. The U.S. has urged Israel to increase aid access, warning that failure to do so could result in reduced American military support.
Israeli minister Amichai Chikli acknowledged that parts of northern Gaza, including Jabalia, were under blockade. He defended the blockade as legal under international law, adding that civilians had been given the opportunity to move to safer zones.
Sinwar, a key figure in the October 2023 attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and led to the capture of 251 hostages, was reportedly killed in a firefight in Rafah. The Israeli military claimed he was hiding in a building struck by tank fire. An Israeli pathologist confirmed that Sinwar died from a gunshot wound to the head, with additional injuries to his body from missile fire and falling debris.
Elsewhere, fighting also raged in Lebanon, where Israel is conducting a ground invasion against Hezbollah. Israeli forces claimed to have killed around 60 Hezbollah fighters and destroyed the group’s regional command center. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire, targeting the Israeli city of Haifa and surrounding areas.
