9 killed, several injured as Israel bombs Deir al-Balah refugee camp

GAZA CITY, Palestine 

The Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip announced Saturday that teams recovered nine bodies and several wounded victims, including a child, as a result of an Israeli bombing attack on a house in the middle of the enclave.

“Civil defense teams were able to recover 9 martyrs and rescue a child and a number of injuries after the occupation aircraft targeted the house of the Al-Louh family in Deir al-Balah refugee camp,” it said in a statement.

Witnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli shelling led to the destruction of the house and caused extensive damage to homes and property.

The Israeli army on Saturday expanded its simultaneous ground and air attacks across all governorates of Gaza, following its demand to evacuate residents from wide areas in the northern and central areas. ​​​​​​​

It also advanced into the southern part of Gaza City and the eastern areas of Khan Younis in addition to conducting a series of intense airstrikes that resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries in various areas of the territory.

Israel has pounded Gaza following a cross-border attack on Oct. 7 by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, which killed less than 1,200 people.

Nearly 34,950 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have since been killed, and nearly 78,600 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice {(ICJ). An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

South Africa on Friday asked the ICJ to order Israel to withdraw from Rafah as part of additional emergency measures over the war.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala