A recent Israeli airstrike near a bustling market in Gaza City tragically claimed the lives of almost two dozen Palestinians, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Defense rescue service on Wednesday.
Among the at least 22 fatalities were six women and nine children. They were reportedly seeking refuge in a warehouse near Firas Market on the city’s eastern side when it was struck. This information was also corroborated by the Wafa news agency, which is affiliated with the Palestinian Authority administration in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
In response, the Israeli military issued a statement asserting that the strike targeted “two Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip,” but offered no further specifics about their identities. The military also stated that the reported casualty figures did not match their own intelligence, though they did not provide an alternative count of those killed.
Last week, Israel initiated a ground invasion of Gaza City, citing its objective to dismantle Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, from what it considers one of its final strongholds. Hamas was responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the current conflict. The Israeli military consistently maintains that its operations in Gaza are directed solely at militants and their operational infrastructure, including weapon stockpiles and tunnels, acknowledging that these targets are frequently situated within civilian zones.
The intensified conflict, particularly the ground invasion of Gaza City – the territory’s largest urban hub – has drawn increasing international condemnation against Israel. This operation has already forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, many for the second or third time since the war began, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis throughout the Gaza Strip.
Adding to the diplomatic strain, nearly a dozen nations have recently formalized their recognition of a Palestinian state, a move that has visibly angered Israeli officials and highlights growing international frustration with the ongoing hostilities.
Separately, on Wednesday evening, the Israeli military reported that a drone launched from Yemen struck the city of Eilat. Israeli paramedics confirmed that twenty individuals were injured, with two in serious condition. The military stated that despite attempts, its air defenses were unable to intercept the drone.
The Houthi militia in Yemen, an Iran-backed faction, remains one of the few regional adversaries consistently launching attacks against Israel. While the Houthis claim these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, most of their attempts are either intercepted or fail to cause significant damage or casualties.
Prior to its ground invasion of Gaza City, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for the city’s entire population, instructing hundreds of thousands to move to a designated ‘humanitarian zone’ in southern Gaza.
However, a significant number of civilians stayed behind, with many citing financial constraints preventing their departure, and others expressing deep skepticism about the safety of any location within Gaza.
Wafa news agency further reported that beyond the warehouse incident, five more people – four women and one man – were killed in separate strikes across Gaza City on Wednesday.
In Nuseirat, located about seven miles south of Gaza City, the civil defense also recovered four bodies from the ruins of a building hit by a different strike. The Israeli military did not comment on this particular incident.
Nedal Abu Sherbi, a 37-year-old Gaza City resident, shared his predicament, explaining he couldn’t afford to leave. Even if he could, he found the thought of fleeing yet again unbearable.
He recounted a previous attempt earlier in the conflict to find safety in the south, which he described as “a very humiliating experience.”
“If I am going to suffer anyway, then I am staying here,” declared Mr. Abu Sherbi, a freelance journalist. His home destroyed, he now seeks refuge in a school in Rimal, a neighborhood that was once affluent.
He observed that Israeli troops seemed to have “full control” over many parts of the city, though not in his immediate area of shelter. However, he noted that moving more than a few blocks in any direction from his current location was impossible due to the ongoing situation.
“While conditions in Rimal are somewhat better than in other areas, strikes are still a constant threat,” he explained. “We can’t get any sleep because of the continuous bombardments throughout the night.”
Before the recent evacuation orders, the United Nations estimated that nearly one million people – roughly half of Gaza’s entire population – resided in Gaza City. Israeli officials now estimate that 640,000 individuals have departed the city following these orders.
Over recent months, significant portions of Gaza City have been devastated by Israeli actions.
A New York Times analysis of satellite imagery revealed that one Gaza City neighborhood, Zeitoun, was transformed into a desolate wasteland during just a few weeks in August, with the majority of its buildings annihilated.
Furthermore, in recent weeks, a U.N.-supported panel of food experts declared that famine conditions exist in Gaza City. Concurrently, a U.N. commission investigating the conflict has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the area. Israel has categorically denied both allegations.
Abu Bakr Bashir contributed reporting.