An Israeli airstrike on a tent camp in the courtyard of the "Al-Aqsa" hospital in the central Gaza Strip killed five people, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed today to 19, Gaza health authorities said, quoted by Reuters, BTA reports.
A fire broke out after the airstrike, injuring at least 18 people, the sources said.
The Israeli army said it had carried out a strike against a fighter who was "carrying out terrorist activity" and that secondary explosions were detected, indicating the presence of weapons in the area.
The hospital is located in the Deir al-Bala area, which is filled with thousands of people who have fled their homes in other parts of Gaza due to the fighting.
Sirens sounded in the Ashdod area and the Israeli military said five rockets had been fired from southern Gaza. No injuries were reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued shelling the Gaza Strip after diplomatic efforts in Cairo ended without progress. Meanwhile, Israel is bracing for a major escalation from southern Lebanon, Reuters notes.
The chances of progress in ceasefire talks appear slim as tensions in the region have risen following the assassination of “Hamas“ leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. A day earlier, an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a senior military commander in the Lebanese armed group “Hezbollah“.
Haniya's death is one of a series of assassinations of senior Hamas figures. The Palestinian group and Iran have blamed Israel for Haniya's killing and vowed a harsh response. Israel has neither admitted nor denied responsibility for the attack. “Hezbollah“, like “Hamas“, is backed by Iran and has also vowed revenge after Shukr's killing.
At least 39,583 Palestinians have been killed and 91,398 wounded during the Israeli military offensive in Gaza since October 7, according to the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry, cited by Reuters.