DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Recent Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 50 individuals, including several children, across the Gaza Strip. The attacks targeted Hamas security personnel and struck an area designated as a humanitarian zone by Israel.
As the bombardment persisted throughout Thursday and into Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the authorization of a delegation comprising members from the Mossad intelligence agency, the Shin Bet internal security service, and the military to engage in ceasefire negotiations in Qatar. Israeli media indicated that the delegation is set to leave on Friday, but there has been no immediate response from Hamas regarding these developments. Efforts led by the U.S. to negotiate a ceasefire have previously been marred by delays during the 15 months of ongoing conflict.
The early-morning strike in the Muwasi humanitarian zone took place amid deteriorating winter weather conditions, where numerous displaced Palestinians sought shelter. “Everyone was taking refuge in their tents from the cold, and then the world turned upside down,” said Ziyad Abu Jabal, who was displaced from Gaza City. This particular attack left at least 10 individuals dead, including three children and two senior police officers within Hamas.
According to the Israeli military, the strike aimed at a senior police officer who was allegedly involved in gathering intelligence for Hamas’s armed wing, which has been involved in assaults against Israeli forces. In a separate incident, another airstrike in Deir al-Balah resulted in the deaths of at least eight men who were reportedly part of local committees assisting with the security of aid convoys. The toll was corroborated by officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the bodies were received.
In a different attack in southeastern Gaza, five Hamas policemen were killed in Khan Younis. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer stated that the target was the head of the Hamas internal security force in that region, suggesting that the individual was found sheltering within the humanitarian zone where many Gazans are currently seeking refuge from the violence.
During this conflict, Israel has frequently targeted police forces in Gaza, exacerbating the collapse of law and order. This has hindered humanitarian organizations from efficiently delivering aid while Israel claims Hamas diverts resources for its own use. Previously, Hamas operated a police force of tens of thousands that effectively maintained public security before the war, though many officers have since retreated from public view.
Additionally, three Palestinians were reportedly killed by an Israeli strike as they walked through Maghazi in central Gaza. Their remains were also taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The violence continued late Thursday and early Friday as more airstrikes in central Gaza, including Maghazi and the Nuseirat refugee camp, resulted in the deaths of at least 24 individuals, many of whom were children.
This ongoing war was ignited by an attack from Hamas-led militants on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead, predominantly civilians, and resulted in approximately 250 abductions. Currently, there are around 100 hostages believed to still be within Gaza, with at least one-third thought to be deceased.
In retaliation, Israel’s military operations have led to over 45,000 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza, as reported by the territory’s Health Ministry, which notes that women and children accounted for a significant portion of those killed, although the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its statistics. Israel maintains that its military actions are focused on militants and attributes civilian deaths to Hamas’s practice of operating within densely populated areas, claiming just over 17,000 militants have been killed, although it hasn’t provided evidence for these figures.
The conflict has inflicted extensive devastation, displacing approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, often more than once. Widespread hunger and food shortages have emerged, evident as children, some in sandals and bare feet, queued with containers at a food distribution center in Deir al-Balah.
In other news, Prime Minister Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital after undergoing successful prostate surgery this past Sunday. He is reportedly in stable condition, although he has a recovery period ahead. Despite doctors’ recommendations for him to remain admitted, the 75-year-old briefly stepped out to participate in a parliamentary vote earlier in the week.
Netanyahu has committed to continuing military operations in Gaza until Hamas is fully dismantled. Nevertheless, despite suffering significant losses, the militant organization has repeatedly managed to regroup in some areas, such as the largely isolated northern region, following Israeli military withdrawals.
