JERUSALEM, June 25: The Israeli military has reported seven Israeli soldiers killed in the southern Gaza Strip when a Palestinian attacker attached a bomb to their armoured vehicle. Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials reported that 79 people were killed in Israeli attacks across the strip on Wednesday. This attack was one of the deadliest for the army in Gaza in months and quickly drew the nation’s attention back to the grinding conflict with the Hamas militant group after nearly two weeks of war between Israel and Iran.
The initial Hamas attack killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 others hostage. Some 50 hostages remain in captivity, at least 20 of whom are believed to still be alive. Some Palestinians in Gaza City expressed frustration that the war in the territory has dragged on for nearly two years, while the conflict between Israel and Iran lasted 12 days before a fragile ceasefire was reached.
Gaza health authorities announced on Tuesday that the number of Palestinians killed in the war has risen above 56,000, driven the population to the brink of famine. Israel’s blockade and military campaign have driven the population to the brink of famine. The latest reported death toll of 56,156 is higher than in any previous Israeli-Palestinian fighting. The health ministry in Gaza doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than half of the dead have been women and children. The ministry said the dead include 5,759 who have been killed since Israel resumed fighting on March 18, shattering a two-month ceasefire.
Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, which operates in heavily populated areas. Israel claims over 20,000 Hamas militants have been killed, though it has provided no evidence to support that claim. Hamas has not commented on its casualties.
In Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed a 66-year-old Palestinian woman during a raid on Wednesday. Israeli police said they were investigating the incident, and a woman had arrived at a military checkpoint with “serious penetrating injuries” and was pronounced dead. Israeli forces fired at “rioters” who threw rocks and heavy objects at them during the operation, hospitalizing one officer with a head injury from a large rock. (AP)
