DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes killed astatine slightest 12 Palestinians successful nan Gaza Strip, mostly women and children, officials said Wednesday, arsenic the astir 15-month war crushed connected into nan caller twelvemonth pinch nary extremity successful sight.
One onslaught deed a location successful nan Jabaliya area of bluish Gaza, the astir isolated and heavy destroyed portion of nan territory, wherever Israel has been waging a awesome cognition since early October. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 7 group were killed, including a female and 4 children, and astatine slightest a twelve different group were wounded.
Another onslaught overnight successful nan built-up Bureij exile campy successful cardinal Gaza killed a female and a child, according to nan Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received nan bodies. The subject ordered group to evacuate an area adjacent Bureij overnight, saying it would onslaught location successful consequence to caller rocket occurrence by Palestinian militants.
A 3rd onslaught early Wednesday successful nan confederate metropolis of Khan Younis killed 3 people, according to nan adjacent Nasser Hospital and nan European Hospital, which received nan bodies.
The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants attacked confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 group and abducting astir 250. About 100 hostages are still held successful Gaza, astatine slightest a 3rd of whom are believed to beryllium dead.
Israel’s aerial and crushed violative has killed complete 45,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says women and children dress up much than half nan fatalities but does not opportunity really galore of those killed were militants.
The Israeli subject says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths because its fighters run successful dense residential areas. The service says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The warfare has caused wide destruction and displaced immoderate 90% of Gaza’s organization of 2.3 million, many of them aggregate times.
Hundreds of thousands are surviving successful tents connected nan seashore arsenic wintertime brings predominant rainstorms and temperatures driblet beneath 10 degrees Celsius (50 F) astatine night. At slightest six infants and different personification person died of hypothermia, according to nan Health Ministry.
American and Arab mediators person spent astir a twelvemonth trying to agent a ceasefire and hostage release, but those efforts person many times stalled. Hamas has demanded a lasting truce, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu has vowed to support fighting until “total victory” complete nan militants.
More than 82,000 Israelis moved overseas successful 2024 and only 33,000 group immigrated to nan country, Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics said. Another 23,000 Israelis returned aft agelong periods abroad.
It was nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a statement of nett departures, a uncommon occurrence successful nan history of nan country, which was founded by immigrants from Europe and actively encourages Jewish immigration. Many Israelis, looking for a break from nan war, person moved abroad, starring to interest astir whether it will thrust a “brain drain” successful sectors for illustration medicine and technology.
Last year, 15,000 less group immigrated to Israel than successful 2023. The Bureau of Statistics changed its reporting methods successful mid-2022 to amended way nan number of Israelis moving abroad.
In a abstracted development, nan Israeli subject blamed “operational burnout” and a “weakening of subject and safety” successful nan decease of a 70-year-old archaeologist who was killed successful confederate Lebanon successful November on pinch a worker while visiting a combat zone.
According to Israeli media reports, Zeev Erlich was not connected progressive work erstwhile he was shot, but was wearing a subject azygous and had a weapon. The service said he was a reservist pinch nan rank of awesome and identified him arsenic a “fallen soldier” erstwhile it announced his death.
Erlich was a well-known West Bank settler and interrogator of Jewish history. Media reports astatine nan clip of his decease said he entered Lebanon to research an archaeological site. The family of nan worker who was killed pinch him has expressed anger complete nan circumstances of his death.
The subject launched an investigation aft nan 2 were killed successful a Hezbollah ambush. A abstracted probe is looking into who allowed Erlich to enter.
The subject said nan introduction of civilians who are not subject contractors aliases journalists into combat zones is not widespread. Still, location person been aggregate reports of Israeli civilians who support a imperishable Israeli beingness successful Gaza aliases Lebanon entering those areas.
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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman successful Tel Aviv, Israel, and Tia Goldenberg successful Jerusalem contributed.
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