Israeli strikes across the central and southern Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of at least seven Palestinians, with many others wounded. A drone attack in the Bureij refugee camp's "Block 9" area targeted a group of civilians, leading to fatalities and serious injuries, as confirmed by medical sources and Gaza's civil defence rescue service.
Hospitals, including al-Aqsa and al-Awda in central Gaza, reported receiving six bodies and seven wounded individuals, four of whom are in critical condition. Ambulance crews faced challenging conditions while transporting the casualties, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation on the ground.
In the southern Gaza Strip, the Nasser Medical Complex admitted three wounded people following an Israeli drone strike on a tent of displaced persons in Bani Suheila. Al Jazeera's correspondent also reported Israeli artillery shelling and heavy tank fire near Bani Suheila and east of Gaza City, indicating a broader military escalation.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has killed over 72,300 people since October 2023, including at least 738 since the so-called ceasefire took effect. The death toll includes at least 32 since the start of April, among them Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah, who was killed in an attack earlier this week.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk condemned Israel's recent violence in Gaza on Friday, stating that "the unrelenting pattern of killings" reflects Israel's "sweeping impunity." He described the situation as a "crime against humanity," criticizing the ongoing attacks on civilians in homes, shelters, and medical facilities.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers and forces stormed homes and villages throughout the morning, continuing an escalating campaign to expand illegal settlements. The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces arrested seven people east of Qalqilya and conducted interrogations in other areas, such as Bir al-Basha near Jenin.
Israeli settlers in al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem, fanned out across streets, shone spotlights into homes, and provoked residents. In the village of Duma in the Nablus governorate, another group of settlers set fire to a house, though residents managed to control the blaze and prevent its spread.
Israeli media outlets have reported the recent secret approval of 34 new illegal West Bank settlements, adding to 68 that have been endorsed since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government came to power in 2022. Various foreign governments and organizations, including the European Union, Turkiye, Sweden, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have condemned this move as a flagrant violation of international law, though the US-aligned regime's support for such actions often undermines global condemnation efforts.
Source: www.aljazeera.com