Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday led to the deaths of at least 48 Palestinians, including journalist Ahmed Al Louh and emergency service personnel. The Israeli military claimed the strikes targeted militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, asserting they operated from the civil defense office. Additional airstrikes resulted in further casualties across Gaza, with a total death toll nearing 45,000 since the conflict escalated after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Efforts for a ceasefire remain unproductive.
Tragic Loss of Life in Gaza Airstrikes
On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes tragically resulted in the deaths of at least 48 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including a journalist and several rescue workers, as reported by medical sources.
The Israeli military confirmed that their forces carried out both air and ground operations in northern Gaza, claiming to have eliminated numerous militants and captured others in the process.
Among the casualties was Ahmed Al Louh, a video journalist for Al Jazeera, who was killed alongside five others when an airstrike hit the civil emergency center located in the Nuseirat market area. Reports indicate that Al Louh was actively working during the attack.
The Israeli military justified the strike by alleging it targeted militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad who were supposedly operating from the civil defense office in Nuseirat. They identified Al Louh as a member of the Islamic Jihad group, although they provided no supporting evidence for this claim.
Al Jazeera has yet to respond to these allegations but has previously condemned Israel’s assertions regarding its journalists, stating that such claims lack validity.
Furthermore, Nedal Abu Hjayyer, the head of the Nuseirat civil emergency service, was also reported killed in the incident. Zaki Emadeldeen from the service emphasized to reporters that their operations are purely humanitarian and non-political, aimed at assisting the population during both war and peace.
Casualties Continue to Mount in Ongoing Conflict
In a separate incident, an airstrike in Khan Younis claimed the lives of at least 20 individuals, including women and children, targeting a building that housed displaced families.
Reports from doctors and residents indicated that multiple airstrikes across Gaza City resulted in at least 11 fatalities, while additional strikes in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia camp led to more deaths and injuries. Two individuals were killed by drone strikes in Rafah, further escalating the humanitarian crisis.
Israel maintained that the targeted homes in Gaza City were linked to militants preparing for imminent attacks and claimed they took measures to minimize civilian casualties through precise weaponry and aerial surveillance.
In Beit Hanoun, Israeli forces surrounded families seeking refuge in the Khalil Aweida school, leading to a violent confrontation that resulted in several deaths and numerous arrests, though exact numbers remain unclear.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted following a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in a staggering death toll, with nearly 45,000 fatalities reported, predominantly among civilians. Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to negotiate a ceasefire have intensified in recent weeks, but no tangible progress has been achieved thus far.