Gaza City: At least six Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Saturday evening after an Israeli military drone struck a gathering of civilians in the city of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. This attack raises the total number of Palestinians killed in the Strip since early Saturday to 42.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, local sources reported that the Israeli drone targeted a civilian gathering in Deir al-Balah, resulting in further casualties. Earlier on Saturday, Israeli artillery shelled a civilian gathering in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood east of Gaza City, leading to the deaths of four individuals and additional injuries. The wounded were transported to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital for treatment.
Earlier in the morning, Israeli forces targeted civilians waiting for food aid west of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. Medical sources confirmed that 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 50 injured in this attack. Local sources mentioned that civilians immediately began rescuing the wounded and transporting the victims to Al-Shifa Hospital using civilian vehicles and animal-drawn carts.
Reports indicate that dozens had gathered in the Sudaneyya area west of Beit Lahiya, following rumors that trucks carrying aid from international organizations would pass through, offering a glimmer of hope for assistance. However, the crowd was swiftly targeted by Israeli artillery.
The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has resulted in at least 55,297 documented Palestinian fatalities, with over 128,426 others injured. Thousands of victims are feared trapped under rubble, inaccessible to emergency and civil defense teams due to continuous Israeli attacks.
Despite calls from the UN Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and directives from the International Court of Justice urging measures to prevent further violence and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation, the attacks persist.
