TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli strikes early Sunday killed 12 individuals in Gaza, together with 4 who had been sheltering in a tent camp for displaced individuals inside a hospital complicated, whereas a stabbing assault carried out by a Palestinian killed two individuals in a Tel Aviv suburb.
Tensions have soared following practically 10 months of struggle in Gaza and the killing of two senior militants in separate strikes in Lebanon and Iran final week. These killings introduced threats of revenge from Iran and its allies and raised fears of an much more harmful regional struggle.
A girl in her 70s and an 80-year-old man had been killed within the stabbing assault, in line with Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service and a close-by hospital, and two different males had been wounded. The police mentioned the assault was carried out by a Palestinian militant, who was “neutralized,” and {that a} search was underway for different suspects.
The rescuers mentioned the wounded had been present in three completely different areas, every about 500 meters (yards) aside, including to considerations that multiple assailant was concerned.
Israel has been bracing for retaliation after the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in a strike in Lebanon and Hamas’ prime political chief in an assault in Iran’s capital final week. Each had been linked to the continuing struggle in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault into Israel.
In Gaza, an Israeli strike earlier on Sunday hit a tent camp housing displaced individuals within the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, killing 4 individuals, together with one lady, and injuring others, Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned.
An Related Press journalist filmed males dashing to the scene to assist the wounded and retrieve our bodies, whereas attempting to extinguish the fireplace.
The hospital in Deir al-Balah is the primary medical facility working in central Gaza, and 1000’s of individuals have taken shelter there after fleeing their properties within the war-ravaged territory.
A separate strike flattened a home in northern Gaza, killing at the least eight individuals, together with three kids, their dad and mom and their grandmother, in line with the ministry.
An Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza Metropolis on Saturday killed at the least 16 individuals and wounded one other 21, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which introduced the toll on Sunday. Israel’s navy, which usually accuses Palestinian militants of sheltering in civilian areas, mentioned it struck a Hamas command heart.
Israel says it tries to keep away from harming civilians, however the navy not often feedback on particular person strikes, which regularly kill girls and kids. Gaza’s Well being Ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and militants in its tallies.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, and took round 250 individuals hostage of their shock assault into southern Israel final October.
Israel’s large offensive launched in Gaza has killed at the least 39,550 Palestinians, in line with the territory’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say what number of had been militants. Heavy airstrikes and floor operations have induced widespread destruction and displaced the overwhelming majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million individuals, typically a number of occasions.
Hezbollah has usually traded fireplace with Israel alongside the Lebanon border for the reason that begin of the struggle, in what the militant group says is aimed toward relieving strain on its fellow Iran-backed ally, Hamas. The continual strikes and counterstrikes have grown in severity in current months, elevating fears of an much more harmful regional struggle.
Over 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fireplace within the occupied West Financial institution for the reason that begin of the struggle in Gaza, in line with the Palestinian Well being Ministry. Most have been killed throughout Israeli raids and violent protests. Israel captured the West Financial institution, Gaza and east Jerusalem within the 1967 Mideast struggle, and the Palestinians need all three territories for his or her future state.
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Magdy reported from Cairo.
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Observe AP’s struggle protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
