Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills three, injures 40 as tensions escalate

Gaza: At least three Palestinians were killed on Monday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the tents of displaced persons in Deir al-Balah, located in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.

Medical sources indicate that Israeli aircraft targeted the tents of displaced individuals near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, resulting in three fatalities and 40 injuries. A spokesperson from the hospital noted that the emergency department was overwhelmed by the influx of casualties.

In a press statement, the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza condemned the Israeli military for the attack, holding both the Israeli army and the US administration fully responsible for the continued violence. The statement called on the international community to pressure Israel into halting its actions, Xinhua news agency reported.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday said the Israeli Air Force had conducted a "precise strike" on militants operating inside a command and control centre in the Deir al-Balah area.

According to the IDF, the command centre was embedded within a compound that had previously served as Shuhadah Al-Aqsa Hospital, also known as Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, and was being used by Hamas militants to coordinate and execute attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel.

Israel's large-scale military offensive in Gaza was launched in retaliation for a Hamas assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage.

As of Sunday, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 42,227, according to Gaza-based health authorities.