At least 41 people have been killed and 75 injured in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a cafe near the port in Gaza City, according to Dr. Mohammad Abu Silmiya, director of Al-Shifa hospital. The strike also caused widespread damage to the cafe and surrounding area.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they are “under review” the incident, but initially stated that they struck several Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip using aerial surveillance to mitigate civilian casualties.
The targeted cafe, known for its internet access and Mediterranean coastal location, was a popular spot for students, journalists, and remote workers. Many of the victims were women and children, including students who were at the cafe for work purposes.
The hospital is currently short-staffed due to a shortage of ICU beds and anesthetics, making it challenging to treat the casualties. The death toll increased overnight as some people died from their injuries.
A freelance journalist, Ismail Abu Hatab, was among those killed in the strike. According to other journalists at the scene, his death brings the total number of journalists killed by Israeli military action in Gaza since October 2023 to 228.
The airstrike occurred amid a debate over Israel’s war strategy in Gaza ahead of an expected meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump on July 7. Netanyahu is reportedly interested in reaching a ceasefire deal, while some far-right ministers are pushing for increased military action.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/30/middleeast/israeli-strike-gaza-city-cafe-latam-intl