Israeli air strikes killed 32 people, including children, in Gaza on Saturday, according to the Palestinian territory’s civil defence agency.
Despite a US-brokered truce entering its second phase earlier this month, violence in the besieged strip has continued, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the agreement.
The latest death toll comes after Israel announced it would reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday for the “limited movement of people”.
“The death toll since dawn today has risen to 32, most of them children and women,” said the Gaza civil defence agency.
A unit in an apartment building of Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood was left entirely destroyed, and blood spatters were visible on the street below, an AFP journalist reported.
Although people have been killed almost daily in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire on October 10, Saturday’s toll was particularly high.
Israel’s military said that the air strikes were retaliation for an incident on Friday in which eight Palestinian fighters exited a tunnel in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, which it said violated the fragile ceasefire.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported that Israeli attacks have killed at least 509 people since the ceasefire came into effect.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.