At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry has reported. Ten fatalities occurred when a religious endowments ministry building was struck in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, while additional strikes hit several locations, including Khan Younis, shortly after sunset on Wednesday, according to local rescue agencies.
The Israeli military asserted that these operations targeted Hamas militant positions in response to gunfire directed at their troops, thereby infringing upon a five-week ceasefire. This flare-up of violence marks a severe escalation after days of relative calm, with Palestinian Civil Defence reporting that significant damage was inflicted on the religious ministry's building, with victims trapped under rubble.
Photos from the scene revealed deceased children among those retrieved by rescue workers. Furthermore, an incident at the Shejaiya junction resulted in casualties when a drone strike hit a gathering, and another airstrike killed one person in a residential area.
The UN Security Council recently endorsed a resolution to bolster the fragile ceasefire, a move met with skepticism by Hamas, which maintains that disarmament is contingent on establishing a Palestinian state. Israel has made clear its intent to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities, raising tensions amidst ongoing peace discussions.
The Israeli military asserted that these operations targeted Hamas militant positions in response to gunfire directed at their troops, thereby infringing upon a five-week ceasefire. This flare-up of violence marks a severe escalation after days of relative calm, with Palestinian Civil Defence reporting that significant damage was inflicted on the religious ministry's building, with victims trapped under rubble.
Photos from the scene revealed deceased children among those retrieved by rescue workers. Furthermore, an incident at the Shejaiya junction resulted in casualties when a drone strike hit a gathering, and another airstrike killed one person in a residential area.
The UN Security Council recently endorsed a resolution to bolster the fragile ceasefire, a move met with skepticism by Hamas, which maintains that disarmament is contingent on establishing a Palestinian state. Israel has made clear its intent to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities, raising tensions amidst ongoing peace discussions.
