Israeli airstrikes kill Hamas chief's sister in Gaza attack

WORLD  25 June 2024 - 14:00

Israel has killed several members of the Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh's family, including his sister, in an attack in the western Gaza City on June 25.

Reports from medical sources indicate that at least 10 members of the Haniyeh family were killed during the bombardment on their residence in the Beach refugee camp, Caliber.Az informs, citing Turkish media.

This latest attack adds to the toll suffered by Haniyeh, whose three sons were previously killed in an Israeli airstrike on April 10 while travelling in the same area. The strikes have not been confined to residential areas alone, with Israeli forces also targeting schools serving as shelters in Gaza City's al-Daraj neighbourhood and the Beach refugee camp, resulting in additional fatalities.

Health authorities are still working to confirm the exact number of casualties from these attacks, which have devastated communities across Gaza. Civil Defense teams in the al-Maghazi refugee camp, located in the central Gaza Strip, have been tirelessly searching through rubble following airstrikes, recovering the bodies of five individuals, including three children and a woman.

The ongoing conflict has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community, with calls for an immediate ceasefire echoing through diplomatic channels. The United Nations Security Council, in particular, has urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately, citing the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.

Local health authorities report that more than 37,600 Palestinians have lost their lives since the conflict began, a majority of whom are women and children. Additionally, nearly 86,100 others have been injured in the violence that has left vast swathes of Gaza in ruins and exacerbated by severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.

The Israeli government's actions have sparked accusations of genocide, leading to scrutiny at the International Court of Justice. The court recently ruled for Israel to cease its operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians sought refuge before the area came under attack on May 6^th.

Caliber.Az