Israeli air strikes kill 50 in Gaza, Health Ministry says

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At least 50 Palestinians were killed and scores injured in Israeli air strikes in Beit Lahia, Khan Younis and Al Maghazi in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, said Ashraf Al Qudra, spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israeli forces on Thursday bombed Gaza as the centre of fierce combat against Hamas moves steadily south, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

Israeli shelling continued on eastern and central areas of Khan Younis city and east of Rafah in the south of the Palestinian enclave, while the areas of Tel Al Zaatar, Al Sikka, Jabalia Al Balad, and Beit Lahia in the north also endured a barrage of strikes.

The Al Maghazi refugee camp, a UN-run school doubling as a shelter, was hit by shelling overnight.

“They tell you there are green zones and other zones with other colours. All those are rumours, there are no safe zones in Gaza,” a man told AFP on Wednesday.

World Health Organisation (WHO) staff reported that “hungry people again stopped our convoys today in the hope of finding food”. Gazans are facing severe shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine.

An estimated 1.9 million Gazans have been displaced, the UN says.

Israel’s relentless bombardment and ground invasions have killed at least 21,000 people, including 8,800 children and 6,300 women, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said.

More than 55,000 have been injured and more than 335,000 of the internally displaced are suffering from infectious diseases, it said.

Israeli forces have so far destroyed 65,000 residential units and partially destroyed 290,000 units, the Gaza media office said.

About 115 mosques have been destroyed, while 200 mosques and three churches have suffered heavy damage. Dozens of government buildings and 92 schools and universities were reduced to rubble.