At least 11 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli air strikes across Gaza City, according to medical sources and eyewitnesses. The strikes targeted residential buildings in the Sheikh Radwan and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods and the Shati refugee camp early Thursday, causing powerful explosions and panic.

Social media videos purportedly showed aftermath scenes of people trying to flee a burning building in Shati camp. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Witnesses told the BBC that three Israeli helicopters hovered briefly over Gaza City's coastline before launching simultaneous strikes on the buildings.

Among those reportedly killed was a Hamas commander in northern Gaza, Hassan Labad, along with his wife and three children. A spokesman for the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said the dead included two children with disabilities from the Labad family and three women.

Israel has carried out repeated air strikes in Gaza despite the US-brokered ceasefire deal, accusing Hamas of rearming and rebuilding its forces. More than 940 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect last October, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

With global attention focused on conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with a worsening humanitarian crisis and reported plans by Israel to expand its controlled area to 70% of the territory.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage. Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed more than 72,950 people, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Source: www.bbc.com