At least 32 people were killed during an Israeli army raid on the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said on Wednesday.
Many of the victims were women and children, Hamas-controlled rescue services said. Palestinian sources generally do not distinguish between civilian and military casualties.
According to eyewitnesses, the raid took place without prior warning. Israeli forces are said to have besieged and shelled several houses.
A local Palestinian journalist was also among the injured, killing five of his relatives.
The Israeli military initially made no comment on its actions in Khan Younis.
According to Palestinian reports, three people were also killed and at least 15 injured in an Israeli army attack in the center of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army announced that it had attacked a Hamas command center in the former building of a girls’ school in the village of Nuseirat. Previously, precautions had been taken to spare civilians as much as possible, the army added.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been at war with the Palestinian militant organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Nearly a year ago, Hamas, along with its allies, invaded southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people.
The conflict between the Jewish state and Islamist rivals has since expanded to include the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and Iran, which backs both Hamas and Hezbollah.
