Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Gaza; IDF Investigating Strike That Killed Doctor’s 9 Children
Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday and Saturday killed at least 79 Palestinians, including nine children of a local pediatrician, as Israel’s military campaign to pressure Hamas escalated. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it struck over 100 targets in the past 24 hours as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, describing the areas as combat zones and saying it targeted fighters, tunnels, and weapons sites. The IDF said the deaths of civilians were being reviewed.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Khan Yunis, where Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician, lost nine of her 10 children in a drone strike. She was on duty at the al-Tahrir Clinic when her home was hit. Her husband was critically injured, and their only surviving child, an 11-year-old son, is undergoing surgery. Eyewitnesses said Najjar collapsed when the bodies of her children arrived at the hospital. Israeli officials said the strike targeted suspects operating near Israeli forces and that the area had been cleared of civilians. The military has launched a formal investigation into the incident.
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According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 53,901 Palestinians have been killed since the war began following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 people. Israel has vowed to continue fighting until all hostages are released and Hamas is disarmed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas’ conditions for a ceasefire and has said Israel will retain security control over Gaza.
Relief efforts have resumed following international pressure, with 388 aid trucks entering Gaza last week. But UN agencies report worsening humanitarian conditions, especially in hospitals. The European Hospital in southern Gaza, one of the few offering specialized care, remains partially evacuated following an earlier strike.
