Over 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on N. Gaza
A woman reacts during the funeral of members of the press killed in an Israeli strike, at Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, Palestine, Dec. 26, 2024. (AFP Photo)


Over 50 people died in an Israeli airstrike targeting a building in northern Gaza late Thursday, according to health authorities in the enclave.

Among the victims were five staff members from a nearby clinic, including a pediatrician, two paramedics and a laboratory assistant, the authority confirmed.

The violence comes as the conflict in Gaza intensifies.

The Palestinian sources indicated at least nine deaths in an earlier Israeli attack.

The airstrikes in Gaza City, which followed violent protests in northern Gaza, resulted in widespread destruction, including damage to key medical facilities.

Destruction continues in Gaza

Airstrikes continued on Thursday, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others injured.

Among the injured was Dr. Mohammed Salha, the acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, who sustained minor to moderate injuries from an attack near the facility.

Israeli forces reportedly used explosive "robots" to target residential areas, causing significant damage to homes and hospitals.

The demolitions were particularly focused around the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals.

Ismail al-Thawabta, the director-general of Gaza's Government Media Office, condemned the attacks, calling them part of Israel's "ongoing genocide" in Gaza.

He highlighted the toll of over 4,800 deaths, 12,500 injuries and widespread displacement caused by Israel's military operations, which have left the region's infrastructure in ruins.

Humanitarian crisis deepens

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Gaza, with over 1 million people lacking adequate shelter as temperatures drop.

Winter conditions are taking a deadly toll, particularly on displaced families.

On Thursday, reports confirmed the death of three newborns from hypothermia, underscoring the urgent need for aid.

Journalists targeted

An Israeli airstrike on Thursday also claimed the lives of five Palestinian journalists working in Gaza.

The strike hit a press van marked with the media's identification, targeting a group of journalists from Al-Quds Today near a hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp.

The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted Islamic Jihad members but did not mention the journalists.

This incident follows a series of attacks on media personnel in Gaza, making it one of the deadliest regions in the world for journalists.

Violence in Jerusalem

Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, sparked controversy by praying at a disputed Jerusalem religious site, in violation of long-standing agreements with Muslim authorities.

The site, sacred to both Jews and Muslims, is the focal point of tensions over religious access.

Ben-Gvir's actions further inflamed tensions in the region, with no consequences from Israeli leadership despite repeated violations of the status quo.