Israeli Strike Claims 16 Lives in Southern Gaza

In a recent Israeli airstrike on a home in Rafah, a town in southern Gaza, 16 individuals, including eight children, were killed, as reported by medical professionals early Thursday. This strike is part of an ongoing military campaign by Israel in areas of Gaza where civilians were advised to take refuge.

The attack came after Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, launched 20 missiles from Lebanon towards Israel’s northern coast on Wednesday. This was the first rocket attack from Lebanon by Hamas since late December and followed a heavy barrage of at least 25 rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel the day before.

Hamas stated that Wednesday’s attack was in part a response to an Israeli airstrike on January 2 in Beirut’s suburbs, which resulted in the death of senior Hamas official Saleh Arouri.

The impact of the Rafah strike in Israel, regarding casualties or damage, was not immediately clear. In response, Israeli forces targeted launch sites in southern Lebanon with airstrikes and artillery.

Meanwhile, there has been no update on the distribution of medicines that entered Gaza on Wednesday, part of an agreement facilitated by France and Qatar. These medicines were intended for dozens of hostages with chronic illnesses held by Hamas.

Since the start of the war, triggered by Hamas’s attack on October 7, Israel has pursued an intense military campaign with the aim of dismantling Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, and securing the release of numerous captives. This conflict has heightened tensions across the region, raising the possibility of igniting other conflicts.

The war has resulted in more than 24,000 Palestinian deaths, with approximately 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population being displaced from their homes. The United Nations reports that a quarter of the population is facing starvation.

Despite Israeli evacuation orders, many have sought shelter in southern Gaza, where United Nations shelters are at capacity and large tent camps have been erected. Israeli strikes have continued throughout Gaza, often resulting in civilian casualties, including women and children.

Dr. Talat Barhoum at Rafah’s el-Najjar Hospital confirmed the casualties from the Rafah strike, with footage showing grieving relatives. Mahmoud Qassim, a relative of some victims, expressed despair over the situation.

The ongoing conflict has led to a five-day internet and mobile service outage in Gaza, the longest during this war, complicating rescue efforts and information dissemination about the latest strikes and casualties.

Across the Middle East, the war has had a ripple effect, with Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. and Israeli interests. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has also intensified, threatening to escalate into a broader war. Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to target international shipping, despite U.S.-led airstrikes.

Iran has carried out missile attacks targeting alleged Israeli bases in Iraq and militant bases in Syria and Pakistan. Pakistan has retaliated with strikes against militant hideouts in Iran. The relationship between these strikes and the Gaza war remains unclear, but they demonstrate Iran’s long-range missile capabilities amid tensions with Israel and the U.S.

Israel remains committed to dismantling Hamas to prevent future attacks like the one on October 7, when militants breached Israel’s border defenses, resulting in about 1,200 deaths and taking around 250 hostages.

More than 100 hostages, mostly women and children, were released during a November cease-fire in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. However, many hostages, including the family of Kfir Bibas, remain in captivity.

Regarding the medicines sent to Gaza, it’s unclear if they have reached the hostages, who are being held in secret locations, including underground bunkers.

Despite extensive destruction, Hamas continues to resist across Gaza and launch rockets into Israel. The group insists on a permanent cease-fire for the release of more hostages, a stance not accepted by Israel and the U.S.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 24,448 Palestinian deaths and 60,000 wounded since the war began, with many casualties trapped under rubble or unreachable due to the fighting. The ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths but notes that about two-thirds of those killed were women and children.

Israel attributes the high civilian death toll to Hamas’s tactics of fighting in densely populated areas. Israel claims to have killed approximately 9,000 militants, a figure not substantiated with evidence, and reports the death of 193 of its soldiers since the ground offensive in Gaza commenced.