on Gaza kill 32, mostly women and children

 

on Gaza kill 32, mostly women and children

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 32 people on Sunday, including more than a dozen women and children, according to local health officials. The escalation came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump about the ongoing conflict.

The strikes followed Israel’s decision last month to end its ceasefire with Hamas. Since then, Israel has seized territory in a bid to pressure the militant group into accepting a new truce and releasing the remaining hostages. For over a month, Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, and other critical supplies into the coastal enclave, which depends heavily on external aid.

On Sunday evening, the Israeli military ordered evacuations in parts of central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, shortly after about 10 projectiles were launched from Gaza — the largest barrage since fighting resumed. The military said it intercepted about five of the rockets. Hamas’ armed wing claimed responsibility for the attack. One rocket struck the city of Ashkelon, while debris landed in other areas. Emergency services reported one man was lightly injured. In response, Israel said it targeted the rocket launcher used in the attack.

Among the victims was a young child whose body lay across an emergency stretcher, and a female journalist. “My daughter was innocent. She had no ties to any of this — she loved journalism,” said her mother, Amal Kaskeen.

Mohammad Abdel-Hadi, whose cousin was killed, said, “Trump wants to wrap up the Gaza issue quickly. That was clear this morning.”

Israeli shelling also killed at least four people in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. At Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, seven bodies were brought in, including those of a child and three women, an Associated Press journalist at the scene reported.