Gaza City, Palestinian Territories – A series of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, extending from overnight into early Monday, has resulted in a tragic toll of at least 70 casualties, according to Hamas officials. The Israeli military reported targeting approximately 320 sites within the Palestinian enclave during this 24-hour period.
The Gaza Strip, under the control of Hamas, has been facing relentless bombardment, and the Hamas-controlled government media office in the blockaded region released a statement condemning the attacks. The statement conveyed that “more than 60 were martyred in the (Israeli) raids” during the night. Notably, 17 lives were lost in a single strike that hit a residential house in Jabaliya, a town in northern Gaza.
The violence continued into Monday morning, resulting in at least 10 more fatalities, according to a separate statement from the Gaza government media office. This brings the overall death toll since Sunday night to at least 70, marking a grim escalation in the conflict.
The Israeli military, in its response to these events, confirmed that it had struck “over 320 military targets in the Gaza Strip” over the past 24 hours. These targets included tunnels harboring Hamas militants, numerous operational command centers, Islamic Jihad militants, military facilities, and observation posts, as detailed in an official army statement.
The recent airstrikes are part of an ongoing conflict that began over two weeks ago when Hamas launched a cross-border attack on October 7. The violence has taken a devastating toll on both sides. Official figures report at least 1,400 deaths in Israel.
On the Palestinian side, the bombing campaign has resulted in over 4,650 fatalities, primarily among civilians, including at least 1,873 children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The besieged territory has witnessed between 200 and 300 daily casualties, as per government sources.
In anticipation of a possible ground invasion, tens of thousands of Israeli troops have been amassed along the borders of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military disclosed on Sunday that one soldier lost his life, and three others were wounded during a tank operation within Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel has issued warnings to more than one million residents in northern Gaza, urging them to move south for their safety. The United Nations has reported that over half of the territory’s 2.4-million population is now displaced.
In the northern region, hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to remain, some unable or unwilling to leave their homes amid the ongoing hostilities. As the situation in Gaza remains dire, the international community continues to watch with growing concern.
