Israel intensifies Gaza strikes

Israeli airstrikes and tank operations intensified across the Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 17 Palestinian casualties, according to medical sources. The strikes particularly impacted the Nuseirat refugee camp, where multiple air raids destroyed a multi-story building and targeted areas near mosques.

In Nuseirat, one of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, seven people were killed in air strikes. Additional casualties included a woman and a child who died from tank shelling in western Nuseirat, while five others perished in a nearby house strike. Video footage captured residents fleeing as smoke rose from damaged buildings.

The escalation follows a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which ended over a year of hostilities. This development has sparked hopes among Palestinians for a similar arrangement with Hamas in Gaza, though fighting continues unabated.

The Israeli military has not commented on the latest operations in Gaza. The territory's infrastructure has suffered extensive damage, with large areas reduced to ruins. The humanitarian situation remains critical, with most of Gaza's population having been displaced at least once since the conflict began.

The intense military operations continue to affect civilian areas, with emergency services responding to casualties and residents mourning their losses in the streets. The destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure near civilian facilities highlights the ongoing humanitarian concerns in the besieged enclave.

The ongoing Israeli military campaign, now in its 13th month, has resulted in approximately 44,200 Palestinian deaths and widespread displacement of Gaza's population, according to local officials. The operation began after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the capture of over 250 hostages.