Overnight and into Monday, Israeli strikes throughout the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people, according to reports from local hospitals.
The Israeli military announced that it had killed a senior Hamas militant last month who allegedly held a hostage in his residence.
The ongoing conflict, now in its 21st month since the Hamas attack on October 7, continues unabated. Recent talks between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded last week without yielding any progress towards a ceasefire or hostage release agreement.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving the bodies of twelve individuals killed in strikes in southern Gaza, including three who were awaiting aid distribution.
Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported receiving twelve bodies, including three children and two women, following a series of strikes in the north, according to Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, the hospital’s director.
Al-Awda Hospital, located in central Gaza, reported six deaths and eight injuries resulting from strikes in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp.
The Israeli military maintains that its targets are exclusively militants and that it takes measures to avoid civilian casualties. It attributes civilian deaths to Hamas’s operational activities within densely populated areas.
The military stated that a strike on June 19 resulted in the death of Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, who allegedly participated in the October 7 attack and held Emily Damari, a dual Israeli-British citizen, hostage in his home at the onset of the conflict.
Hamas has not commented on these allegations, and independent verification is unavailable.
On October 7, thousands of Hamas-led militants infiltrated Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians, and the abduction of 251 individuals. The majority of these hostages have since been released through ceasefire agreements or other negotiated deals. Militants are believed to still be holding 50 hostages, with less than half thought to be alive.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in the deaths of more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with women and children comprising more than half of the fatalities.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties in its reported figures.
The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government but led by medical professionals, is considered by the United Nations and other experts to provide the most reliable count of war casualties.
Israel’s air and ground operations have caused widespread destruction across Gaza, displacing approximately 90% of the population. Aid organizations report significant challenges in delivering food and other essential assistance due to Israeli military restrictions and the breakdown of law and order, leading to warnings of potential famine.
