Israeli Attacks on Gaza Kill Five Palestinians, Including Children

Israeli attacks on Gaza have escalated in the last 24 hours, with five Palestinians killed, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

On Tuesday morning, at least seven air strikes hit an area west of Gaza City within a 10-minute period, killing a child. Israeli soldiers also opened fire in Deir el-Balah, killing another child. Al Jazeera described chaotic scenes in Gaza City following intense Israeli attacks, reporting 10 blasts in al-Kateeba, one of the city's most densely populated areas.

Palestinian journalist Abdulrahman Ismail reported on X that the attacks in Gaza City targeted an area near a field hospital and thousands of tents sheltering displaced Palestinians. Quadcopter drones then surrounded the area, opening fire and dropping explosives at anyone moving, with the sound of clashes echoing nearby. Israeli drones simultaneously spread across Gaza City, and smoke bombs were reported over Al-Shati.

Ismail noted that people remain trapped in the area. Mai Elawawda, Medical Aid for Palestine's communications officer in Gaza, stated that "Israeli military attacks have not stopped all week." So far, more than 73,400 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the conflict in October 2023. Aid groups warn that the onset of the rainy season could further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, with most people living in overcrowded tent camps amid rubble and overflowing sewage.

The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday of a clear deterioration in water quality and a surge in diarrhea cases. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Tuesday that the IDF successfully captured a senior Hamas terrorist during strikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli official identified the captured terrorist as Mu'in al-Arabid, Hamas's Head of the General Security Apparatus.

However, a Palestinian source in Gaza told The Jerusalem Post that the captured man was in charge of Hamas's internal security department in the Gaza City area. Gaza's government media office stated that Israeli special forces attempted to carry out a security operation in Gaza city but were exposed during the mission, prompting Israeli air intervention.