Israel-Gaza war: 18 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike in central Gaza
- Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced by the Israeli offensive, which has laid waste to much of Gaza
At least 18 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli strike in the Gaza town of Zawayda on Saturday, health officials said, as Israel issued new evacuation orders, citing Hamas rocket fire nearby.
Most of the people killed were from the same family and they included eight children and four women, according to health officials in the Hamas-administered enclave.
Israel’s military said it was aware of the reports of the strike and was looking into them.
“They were asleep in their beds, kids and babies, then three missiles targeted their place,” said Abu Ahmed Hassan, a neighbour. The owner of the house was a known merchant, he said. “There are no military activities here at all,” he added.
Israel’s military spokesperson in Arabic posted instructions on X on Saturday for people in parts of central Gaza, including in Maghazi district which is near Zawayda, to evacuate to a designated humanitarian zone.
He said militants were firing rockets from those locations and that the military was preparing to act against them.