Israel airstrikes Gaza/ Gaza civilian deaths/ Israel Hamas conflict 2024/ Gaza war death toll/ Israeli settler violence West Bank/ Aysenur Ezgi Eygi death, polio vaccination Gaza/ Newslooks/ GAZA/ Morning Edition/ J. Mansour/ Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed 16 people, including five women and four children, as tensions between Israel and Hamas continue. Among the dead were a mother and her five siblings in Nuseirat refugee camp. The strikes come as the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths, with significant destruction across Gaza.
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Kill Civilians Quick Looks:
- Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed 16 people in Gaza, including five women and four children.
- A strike flattened a home in Nuseirat refugee camp, killing 10 people, including a mother and her children.
- Another strike on a Gaza City home killed six, including two children.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 41,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict began in October 2023.
- Israel maintains it targets militants, but many strikes result in civilian casualties, sparking international concern.
- The conflict has displaced 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people.
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Kill 16, Including 5 Women and 4 Children
Deep Look:
On Monday, Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed 16 people, including five women and four children, as the Israel-Hamas war rages on nearly a year after it began. Among the most devastating attacks was a strike on a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The strike killed 10 people, including a mother and her five siblings, according to the Awda Hospital, which confirmed the death toll and reported 13 others injured.
Another airstrike targeted a home in Gaza City, killing six people, including two children, as reported by Gaza’s Civil Defense. The mounting civilian casualties in these densely populated areas have added to the already catastrophic human toll of the war.
Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties, estimates that more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict escalated following Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the ministry, about half of those killed have been women and children. In contrast, Israel claims that over 17,000 militants have been killed during the war, though it has not provided specific evidence to support that figure.
The Israeli military has consistently maintained that it only targets Hamas and other armed groups, which it accuses of hiding among civilians and operating from residential areas. This strategy has led to widespread destruction and a massive civilian death toll, raising international concerns. Monday’s attacks are just the latest in a long series of Israeli airstrikes, with the conflict displacing about 90% of Gaza’s population, which numbers approximately 2.3 million people.
Israeli Settler Violence Escalates in the West Bank:
In the West Bank, tensions have also escalated. On Monday, Palestinians reported that Israeli settlers stormed a school near Jericho, beating staff members and tying up the principal. Hassan Malihat, a Palestinian lawyer present during the attack, said the Israeli army arrived later and arrested the school’s principal and two others.
The Israeli military confirmed that Palestinians had attacked an Israeli earlier in the day, causing head injuries. They said the Palestinians fled to the school, and a confrontation ensued when Israeli settlers followed them. Seven Palestinians were reportedly injured during the clash.
Violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank has increased since the Gaza conflict reignited in October 2023. Settlers have attacked Palestinian villages, setting fire to cars and properties. At the same time, attacks by Palestinian militants, including car-rammings and shootings, have become more frequent.
Turkish Autopsy Confirms American Activist’s Cause of Death:
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities have confirmed that Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi died from a gunshot wound to the head, likely caused by Israeli fire. The 26-year-old activist was killed on September 6 during a protest against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Eygi, who held dual U.S. and Turkish citizenship, was buried in Turkey after the incident.
The Israeli military admitted that Eygi’s death was likely caused “indirectly and unintentionally” by its forces. The Turkish government is conducting its own investigation into the activist’s death.
Polio Vaccination Campaign Sees Success in Gaza:
Despite the ongoing violence, humanitarian efforts continue in Gaza. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has announced that 90% of children targeted in the first round of a polio vaccination campaign have been successfully immunized. This achievement comes after Gaza reported its first polio case in 25 years, a concerning development amid the broader health crisis caused by the conflict.
UNRWA credited a temporary ceasefire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants for allowing health workers to carry out the vaccination drive. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, praised the effort, saying it demonstrated that “when there is political will, assistance can be provided without disruption.”
Israeli-Hezbollah Tensions Rise:
On the northern front, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, warned that time is running out for reaching an agreement with Hezbollah to end hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, has fired rockets and drones into northern Israel, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In response, Israel has launched airstrikes targeting Hezbollah leaders.
Hezbollah has indicated that it would cease attacks if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, but negotiations brokered by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have stalled. Gallant, in a conversation with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, reiterated Israel’s commitment to dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages held in Gaza.
The possibility of a broader war involving Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has raised concerns about a further escalation in the region. For now, both sides remain locked in a deadly stalemate, with civilians paying the highest price.
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