Israeli drone strike kills 5 Palestinians, including 3 children, in northern Gaza

Five Palestinians, including three children, were killed and several others injured Wednesday evening when an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian gathering in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, a medical source told Anadolu.

The source at Al-Shifa Hospital said the bodies of the five victims, including the three children, were brought to the facility along with a number of wounded, including one in critical condition.

Eyewitnesses said the Israeli strike targeted a group of Palestinians gathered near Al-Qassam Mosque in the area, causing multiple casualties.

Ambulances transferred the victims and the injured to Al-Shifa Hospital, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

Israel has continued to commit daily violations of a ceasefire agreement reached last October, killing 786 Palestinians and injuring 2,217, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ceasefire was meant to end a two-year Israeli offensive on Gaza, which left more than 72,000 dead and 172,000 wounded, and destroyed 90% of the civilian infrastructure. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at around $70 billion.

*Writing by Tarek Chouiref