Over 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on residential areas

More than 50 Palestinians were killed and dozens were injured on Sunday, as Israeli attacks on Gaza continued for the 16th day in a row, according to local media.

“More than 50 Palestinians, including children and women, were killed, and dozens were injured, on Sunday, in violent raids launched by occupation warplanes on various areas of the Gaza Strip,” the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Citing medical sources, the news agency gave details about the airstrikes and said four Palestinians, including two women and a child, were killed in an Israeli raid on a house belonging to the Al-Astal family in the center of the city of Khan Yunis, and a number of others were injured.

A number of Palestinians were killed in the bombing of the Tal Al-Zaatar area in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli aircraft also targeted several residential apartments in the vicinity of Shifa Hospital in central Gaza City, which led to the death of a number of Palestinians.

A number of Palestinians were also killed in the bombing of two houses in Rafah, and two Palestinians were killed and several others were injured after a house was targeted in Khirbat Al-Adas in Rafah.

Israeli army aircraft also targeted a house in the Maghazi camp, and launched airstrikes in Khan Yunis, concentrated in the eastern regions and agricultural lands, resulting in several casualties, according to the same source.

The conflict in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and blockade since Oct. 7, began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

At least 4,385 Palestinians, including 1,756 children and 1,000 women have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza.