Gaza has mourned children killed in an Israeli strike as death toll rises to over 43,500, according to Palestinian health authorities. The latest attack occurred in the southern coastal area of Mawasi, where hundreds of thousands have sought shelter.
The Gaza family wept on Saturday over their children who were killed by the strike, which targeted people with no known ties to Hamas. “There were no wanted or targeted people there and there was nobody else in the street,” said Mohammed Zanoun, a relative of the dead children.
Palestinian health authorities report that Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 43,500 people, with another 10,000 believed to be dead and uncounted under rubble. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters stormed border defenses and killed over 1,200 people in Israeli communities.
International efforts to broker a ceasefire have been unsuccessful so far. A Qatari official said Doha would pull out of negotiations unless Hamas and Israel demonstrate a sincere willingness to return to the negotiating table. The US has asked Qatar to close its Hamas office due to Hamas’s rejection of a ceasefire proposal.
The UN Human Rights Office reported that nearly 70% of fatalities in Gaza are women and children, which Israel disputes, calling it inaccurate. Strikes have killed at least 40 Palestinians across the enclave, including two journalists in one airstrike. The famine assessment for northern Gaza has raised concerns, with global food security experts warning of imminent famine.
Israel’s military says its goal is to hit Hamas fighters hiding among civilians, but Hamas denies this. The conflict continues to intensify, with Israel’s main focus on northern Gaza.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-mourns-children-killed-israeli-strike-death-toll-rises-2024-11-09