Israeli air strike in Gaza kills 15, including 9 children

The Gaza civil defense agency reported that an Israeli air strike early Saturday morning killed 15 members of a Palestinian family, including nine children and three women.

The strike targeted the home of the Ajlah family in the Al-Zawaida neighborhood of central Gaza, according to civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal.

Bassal confirmed that the death toll from the strike on the Ajlah family’s home and their warehouse in Al-Zawaida was 15. The victims included nine children and three women.

The Israeli military informed AFP that its forces had targeted “terrorist infrastructure” in central Gaza from which rockets were being launched towards Israel.

The military acknowledged that reports indicated civilians in a nearby structure were killed as a result of the strike and stated that the incident was under review.

A witness, Ahmed Abu al-Ghoul, said the strike occurred shortly after midnight, with three rockets hitting the house directly. He expressed shock at the tragedy, noting that many children and women were inside and questioned what they had done to deserve this.

Footage captured by AFPTV after dawn showed rescuers searching for bodies beneath the rubble of the destroyed house.

Gaza devastated: 40 0000+ dead

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has devastated large areas of Gaza. The war, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, has resulted in 1,198 death. This includes mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures compiled by AFP.

During the attack, militants also took 251 people hostage. About 111 are still held captive in Gaza, 39 of whom the Israeli military says are dead.

In response, Israel’s military campaign has led to the deaths of at least 40,074 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry, which is run by Hamas. The ministry does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.

NOW READ: Calls for Gaza truce grow, Hamas urges Biden plan implementation