Tragic Israeli Strikes Claim Family of 8 in Gaza, Devastate Historic Market in Lebanon

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An airstrike by Israeli forces in Gaza resulted in the tragic loss of a family of eight, including young children, as reported by Palestinian medical officials on Sunday. This incident coincided with ongoing battles in the northern region of Gaza against the militant group Hamas, along with destructive strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, further escalating tensions in the region.

Israel is currently engaged in conflict with both Hamas and Hezbollah, militant groups that are backed by Iran, and tensions are expected to rise with potential Israeli retaliation against Iran following a missile attack earlier this month. Iran has communicated that it will respond vigorously to any assaults from Israel.

In a significant move to enhance Israel’s defense capabilities, the United States announced it would be sending a new air-defense system to Israel, aimed at fortifying the country against ongoing missile threats.

The persistent war against Hamas began approximately a year ago, with Israel conducting nearly daily strikes targeting what it designates as militant infrastructure in Gaza. The most recent strike late Saturday hit a dwelling in the Nuseirat refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of the parents and their six children, aged between 8 and 23, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby area of Deir al-Balah. An Associated Press journalist was present to witness the aftermath.

In a heart-wrenching remark, Mohammad Abu Ghali, the brother of the deceased father, lamented, “They were safe while he was sleeping, and he and all his children died.” This tragedy prompted deep sorrow among the community, with women mourning as they gently touched the body bags of the victims.

Israel’s military maintains that it does its utmost to avoid civilian casualties, attributing blame for the deaths of innocents to Hamas and other armed factions that operate in densely populated regions. Netanyahu ascribes blame to UN peacekeepers

International scrutiny regarding Israeli operations has intensified after repeated reports of Israeli forces targeting U.N. peacekeepers since the ground offensive in Lebanon began. The Israeli military claims that Hezbollah operates near these peacekeeping forces, although evidence for these assertions has not been presented.

The U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, reported an incident early Sunday where Israeli tanks forcibly entered their position, damaging the main gate, and subsequently fired smoke rounds that caused irritation to personnel on site. UNIFIL labeled this occurrence as a “further flagrant violation of international law.”

Recent Israeli strikes have reportedly injured five peacekeepers, raising concerns about the safety of those trying to maintain order in the region.

In its defense, the Israeli military explained that a tank, while attempting to evacuate wounded soldiers under enemy fire, inadvertently reversed into a U.N. post. They claimed a smoke screen was deployed to cover the operation.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesperson, stated that Israel works diligently to maintain communication with UNIFIL and emphasized that any instance in which U.N. personnel are harmed will be thoroughly investigated at “the highest level.”

During a video address to the U.N. Secretary-General, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged UNIFIL to follow Israel’s warnings and evacuate, accusing peacekeepers of acting as a “human shield” for Hezbollah.

“We regret the injuries sustained by UNIFIL soldiers, and we are implementing every possible measure to prevent such incidents. The most straightforward way to protect them is to remove them from danger zones,” he asserted, amidst ongoing hostilities.

For years, Israel has alleged bias from the United Nations and these tensions escalated further with the advent of the current war in Gaza. Israel accused the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency of being compromised by Hamas, an allegation that the agency categorically denies. Suffering Continues in Northern Gaza

In northern Gaza, Israeli air and ground operations have intensified against Jabaliya, a region that the military claims has become a hub for militant regrouping. This area has been repeatedly targeted over the past year, particularly due to its historical significance dating back to the 1948 war during the formation of Israel.

Israel has ordered the complete evacuation of northern Gaza, including Gaza City, yet approximately 400,000 people remain, risking further deterioration of living conditions. Many Palestinians fear that Israel’s actions signal intentions to permanently depopulate the north for military bases or new settlements.

According to reports from the United Nations, no food has made its way into northern Gaza since October 1st, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli military confirmed that hospitals were included in the evacuation orders, but there is no established timeline. Authorities are collaborating with local officials to facilitate the transfer of patients.

Fares Abu Hamza, an emergency service official within the Gaza Health Ministry, reported that a sizable number of corpses remain uncollected on the streets and beneath rubble due to the ongoing violence. He noted, “We are unable to reach them,” highlighting the grim scenario where some remains have reportedly been scavenged by dogs.

The current conflict was ignited when Hamas militants launched an unprecedented assault into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, alongside the abduction of around 250 people. It is estimated that around 100 hostages are still held in Gaza, with a third believed to be deceased.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli bombardments and a ground invasion in Gaza have led to the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, a figure that includes a significant number of women and children. The Israeli government contends it has eliminated over 17,000 combatants but has not provided concrete evidence for this claim. Destruction in Southern Lebanon

In a related development, Israeli airstrikes destroyed a historic Ottoman-era market in Nabatiyeh, a city in southern Lebanon, resulting in at least one fatality and injuring four others. Lebanon’s Civil Defense reported efforts to contain fires that erupted in 12 residential structures and 40 shops in the area, which has historical significance dating back to 1910.

Ahmad Fakih, a shop owner who lost his business, expressed his despair, stating, “Our livelihoods have all been leveled,” as he surveyed the destruction.

The Israeli military confirmed the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions, although specific details regarding the targets were not disclosed.

Rescue teams worked amid the rubble, and Israeli drones circled overhead, heightening the tension in Nabatiyeh, where many residents had been urged to evacuate earlier.

Since the conflict reignited, Hezbollah has launched rockets into Israel, with this escalation traced back to October 8, 2023, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from the Israeli military. The situation has become more volatile after recent Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of several key Hezbollah leaders.

In a separate incident, the Lebanese Red Cross reported a concerted search for casualties within a house decimated by an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. A subsequent strike injured four paramedics and damaged two ambulances, raising alarms about the safety of humanitarian efforts.

The Red Cross stated the rescue efforts were coordinated with U.N. peacekeeping forces, who had informed their Israeli counterparts of the operation.

The Israeli military reiterated its ongoing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, reporting a barrage of rocket fire into northern Israel. Over the course of the day, at least 115 rockets were launched from Lebanon, with two IDF soldiers suffering severe injuries from anti-tank missile attacks.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the death toll in Lebanon has reached at least 2,255 since the start of the conflict, including over 1,400 individuals since September. They do not specify how many of the deceased were Hezbollah fighters. The conflict has also claimed at least 54 lives in Israel due to rocket attacks, nearly half of whom were soldiers.

Magdy reported from Cairo, while AP writers Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut and Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv contributed to this account.