Israeli airstrike kills over 40 Palestinians in northern Gaza

GAZA CITY, Palestine

More than 40 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Gaza Civil Defense said Saturday.

Mahmoud Basal, Civil Defense spokesman, stated on Telegram that more than 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Araj family in the Tel al-Zaatar neighborhood, north of the Gaza Strip.

Since Oct. 5, Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza to allegedly prevent Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

Since then, no humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, has been allowed into the area, leaving most of the population there – currently estimated at 80,000 – on the verge of famine.

More than 2,300 people have been killed since the launch of the Israeli devastating campaign on Oct. 5 in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The onslaught was the latest episode in a brutal Israeli war on the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 44,400 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.

On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala​​​​​​​