At least 11 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, local health and government officials reported, in the latest escalation of violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militant groups. The strikes struck multiple locations, resulting in deaths and injuries, as tensions persist in the long-running conflict.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the fatalities included both fighters and civilians, among them women and children, who were caught in the crossfire during assaults on suspected militant infrastructure. Emergency responders reported several others wounded, rushing the injured to hospitals as sirens wailed across parts of the enclave.
Witnesses described scenes of destruction and chaos in the aftermath of the strikes, with buildings damaged or reduced to rubble and families searching for missing relatives amid the smoke and dust. Residents said the raids occurred without warning in densely populated neighbourhoods, heightening fears over civilian harm.
Israeli authorities said the air raids were aimed at neutralising militant sites and weapons facilities used by groups launching rockets into Israeli territory. A military spokesperson stressed that the operation targets “terror infrastructure” while asserting that efforts are made to mitigate harm to civilians, a claim that has drawn widespread scrutiny and dispute.
The renewed wave of strikes comes amid sustained hostilities that have seen repeated exchanges of fire between Israel and armed factions in Gaza. Diplomatic efforts by regional and international leaders to broker cease-fires have so far failed to produce a lasting truce, leaving the civilian population to bear the brunt of the conflict.
Human rights groups have condemned the escalation and called for immediate protection of civilians, stressing that international humanitarian law forbids indiscriminate attacks. Advocates urged both sides to exercise restraint and prioritize civilian safety as pressure mounts on global actors to intervene and halt further loss of life.
