Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency says Israel Defense Forces strikes killed at least 19 people overnight, including a week-old baby, as Israel faces mounting international pressure over its military offensive.
“Our crews transported 19 dead, most of them children, and dozens of injured following air raids carried out by the Israeli warplanes in various areas of the Gaza Strip last night and early today,” civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal says, naming multiple victims including the newborn.
There was no immediate comment on the strikes from the Israeli military and the figures, which do not differentiate between civilians and gunmen, could not be verified.
Israel says it takes steps to minimize civilian casualties and blames Hamas which is deeply embedded in civilian infrastructure, operating out of camps, hospitals and schools.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 53,500 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, sparked by the terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.
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