By Nour Abuaisha
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – At least 63 Palestinians were killed and several others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting various areas of the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital received the bodies of 59 Palestinians.
Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense, said in a statement: “Some 4 Palestinians were killed by an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment belonging to the Othman family in the Ain Jalut Towers in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the Strip.”
He added that areas east of Deir al-Balah city and the Nuseirat camp witnessed Israeli artillery shelling following the evacuation of large areas of Deir al-Balah by the army on Saturday afternoon.
Basal explained: “Israeli artillery shelling was concentrated on Dawla Roundabout, extending westward to Street 8, and reaching Dahdouh Roundabout (southwest of Gaza Governorate).”
He pointed out that the army has been "extensively burning and demolishing residential buildings in the southern part of Gaza City."
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The onslaught has resulted in over 40,300 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,300 injuries, according to local health authorities.
An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala