Israeli Airstrikes Result in 12 Deaths in Gaza; Ground Fighting Less Intense, Reports Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO – On Monday, Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple locations throughout the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals, including a journalist and her family, according to medical sources. Although the scale of the ground offensive has lessened, Israel has intensified its military engagement with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Palestinian health officials reported that Wafa Al-Udaini, an English-language journalist who wrote in support of the Palestinian cause, was killed when a missile struck her home in the central city of Deir Al-Balah, also claiming the lives of her husband and two children.

The Israeli military has not made an immediate statement regarding these incidents.

With Udaini’s death, the total number of Palestinian journalists killed in the Israeli operations since October 7 has reached 174, as stated by the media office of the Hamas-run government in Gaza.

In another incident, a Palestinian was killed and several others were injured in Rafah, close to the Egyptian border. Additionally, an airstrike in the northern town of Beit Hanoun resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries, according to medical officials.

Later on Monday, an Israeli airstrike on a residence in Nuseirat, one of the Gaza Strip’s historic refugee camps, resulted in the deaths of six people, as confirmed by health officials.

Residents noted that the intensity of fighting and military operations in Gaza has slightly decreased over the past week as Israel has ramped up its military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which included the reported killing of the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on Friday. Hezbollah announced Nasrallah’s death the following day.

Although the ground offensive’s intensity has lessened, Israel continues to carry out airstrikes in the enclave.

For nearly a year, Hezbollah has launched rockets into Israel, supporting its ally Hamas in Gaza.

In the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities released 12 Palestinians, among them Khaled Al-Ser, the head of the surgery unit at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, according to medical sources and Hamas media. Released Palestinians have alleged mistreatment and torture during their imprisonment, accusations that Israel denies.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas began when gunmen from the Palestinian militant group infiltrated southern Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 250 hostages, based on Israeli figures.

The war has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, with Gaza health authorities reporting that more than 41,500 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.