Gaza city: At least 49 Palestinians were killed early Saturday in a series of Israeli airstrikes and shootings across the Gaza Strip, including 24 people who were waiting for humanitarian aid, sources said.
According to Anadolu Agency, two Palestinians were killed in the latest attack after the Israeli army targeted a residential building in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City. The Israeli military's actions have led to eight fatalities and several injuries in gunfire directed at a crowd waiting for aid in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Medical sources reported that 12 bodies were transferred to the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City following Israeli forces opening fire at the aid distribution area along the Netzarim Corridor. In southern Khan Younis, Israeli forces shot three Palestinians dead near distribution centers on Al-Tina Street as they awaited humanitarian aid.
In the town of Al-Zawaida, an Israeli airstrike targeted a family home, resulting in the deaths of five family members, including three children. An additional Palestinian was killed and several others were wounded in a separate strike on a civilian gathering in Al-Zawaida.
Further incidents included the killing of three family members and injuries to others when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb on tents housing displaced families near the Industrial Junction in northern Khan Younis. In another strike northwest of Khan Younis, two women were killed in a tent.
A Palestinian succumbed to wounds sustained from a prior strike on the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis. In the Al-Tawam area north of Gaza City, Israeli drones bombed the location, killing three Palestinians and wounding dozens. Medical sources also reported recovering the bodies of eight Palestinians from an earlier Israeli strike on the Zeitoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City.
Overnight, Israeli forces continued demolishing homes and facilities in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis, according to witnesses. In Rafah, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for aid near a distribution center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resulting in one fatality and 25 injuries.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has maintained an offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children. The ongoing bombing has led to the destruction of the enclave, severe food shortages, and deaths by starvation.
US envoy Steve Witkoff stated that he spent a few hours in Gaza on Friday to give US President Donald Trump a clearer understanding of the humanitarian situation and aid in crafting a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.