
Gaza civil defense says Israeli forces kill at least 12 Palestinians
Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where the war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the Palestinian territory's population of more than two million.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that six people were killed and 15 injured in an Israeli air strike that hit the Al-Rimal clinic, 'which houses hundreds of displaced people, in the Al-Rimal neighborhood west of Gaza City.'
AFP footage showed Palestinians, including groups of young children, combing through the bombed-out interior of the clinic, where mattresses lay alongside wood, metal and concrete broken apart in the blast.
'We were surprised by missiles and explosions inside the building,' eyewitness Salman Qudum told AFP.
'We did not know where to go because of the dust and destruction.'
In the south of the territory, Bassal said two people were killed and 20 others injured by Israeli forces' gunfire while waiting for aid near a distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
A US- and Israel-backed group, the GHF took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, but its operations have had a chaotic rollout with repeated reports of aid seekers killed near its facilities.
Hundreds reported killed
The UN human rights office said last week that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points.
The health ministry in Gaza on Sunday placed that toll higher, at 751 killed.
In Khan Younis in the south, Bassal reported two people killed in an air strike on a house and another killed by Israeli gunfire.
An air strike on a house in Gaza City killed one and injured several others, he added.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
In a separate statement, it said it had struck 'dozens of terrorists, weapons depots, observation posts, military buildings, and other terror infrastructures' over the past 24 hours.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency.
Israel has killed more than 57,418 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Doctors alarmed at rising meningitis cases in Gaza's children
In a ward of Nasser hospital in southern Gaza a woman is comforting her crying, 16-month-old granddaughter, one of those affected by what aid workers say is a surge of meningitis cases among the Palestinian territory's children. 'Sham's temperature suddenly spiked and she became stiff,' said the grandmother, Umm Yasmin. 'We couldn't find a car to carry her ... She was about to die.' For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. The World Health Organization and medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières warn that conditions in Gaza after 21 months of war between Israel and Hamas have increased the risks of meningitis spreading, though they lack clear comparative data to measure the severity of recent outbreaks. 'There's been a rise in meningitis cases in children,' said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. 'We are very concerned.' Typically, there is a seasonal increase in viral meningitis cases in Gaza between June and August, but the WHO is investigating the role of additional factors such as poor sanitation, limited access to healthcare, and disruption of routine vaccinations. Those hospitals still operating are overwhelmed, with beds full and severe shortages of vital antibiotics. 'There is no space in the hospitals,' Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, deputy medical coordinator for MSF in Gaza. 'There is no space to isolate.' Airborn and life-threatening bacterial meningitis can spread in overcrowded tents, according to the WHO. Viral meningitis, though less serious, often spreads through the fecal-oral route, meaning it can easily spread in shelters with poor sanitation, the WHO says. At the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Dr Ahmad al-Farra, head of the Pediatrics and Maternity Department, reported nearly 40 cases of newly admitted viral and bacterial meningitis in the last week. In Gaza City to the north, the Pediatrics Department at the Rantisi Children's Hospital has recorded hundreds of cases in recent weeks, according to a report published by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Abu Mughaisib said a lack of lab tests and blood cultures that can help identify the bacteria causing infections was hampering diagnoses. Displacement Nearly all Gaza's population of more than 2 million has been displaced by the war, which began in October 2023 when Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health authorities, triggered a hunger crisis, and left much of the territory in ruins. More than 80 percent of Gaza is now an Israeli-militarized zone or subject to displacement orders, according to the United Nations. Umm Yasmin said her granddaughter had contracted meningitis for the second time since being displaced. 'The tents that we live in ... animals cannot live in them,' she said. Doctors warn that vitamin deficiencies and weakened immunity— resulting from limited access to fresh vegetables and protein—are increasing children's vulnerability. The destruction of the sewage system and dirty water caused meningitis to spread, said Nasser hospital's Farra. On May 19, Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza, but assistance since then has been limited. Supplies have been channeled through a controversial US-and Israeli-backed group, bypassing the UN-led system. The WHO has called for more antibiotics to be allowed into the enclave to treat patients.


Al Arabiya
11 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Gaza civil defense says Israeli forces kill at least 12 Palestinians
Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli forces killed at least 12 people on Monday, including six in a clinic housing Palestinians displaced after 21 months of war. Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where the war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the Palestinian territory's population of more than two million. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that six people were killed and 15 injured in an Israeli air strike that hit the Al-Rimal clinic, 'which houses hundreds of displaced people, in the Al-Rimal neighborhood west of Gaza City.' AFP footage showed Palestinians, including groups of young children, combing through the bombed-out interior of the clinic, where mattresses lay alongside wood, metal and concrete broken apart in the blast. 'We were surprised by missiles and explosions inside the building,' eyewitness Salman Qudum told AFP. 'We did not know where to go because of the dust and destruction.' In the south of the territory, Bassal said two people were killed and 20 others injured by Israeli forces' gunfire while waiting for aid near a distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). A US- and Israel-backed group, the GHF took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, but its operations have had a chaotic rollout with repeated reports of aid seekers killed near its facilities. Hundreds reported killed The UN human rights office said last week that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. The health ministry in Gaza on Sunday placed that toll higher, at 751 killed. In Khan Younis in the south, Bassal reported two people killed in an air strike on a house and another killed by Israeli gunfire. An air strike on a house in Gaza City killed one and injured several others, he added. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. In a separate statement, it said it had struck 'dozens of terrorists, weapons depots, observation posts, military buildings, and other terror infrastructures' over the past 24 hours. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency. Israel has killed more than 57,418 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.


Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Gaza civil defense says 12 killed by Israeli forces
GAZA CITY: Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli forces killed at least 12 people on Monday, including six in a clinic housing Palestinians displaced after 21 months of war. Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where the war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the Palestinian territory's population of more than two million. Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that six people were killed and 15 injured in an Israeli air strike that hit the Al-Rimal clinic, 'which houses hundreds of displaced people, in the Al-Rimal neighborhood west of Gaza City.' AFP footage showed Palestinians, including groups of young children, combing through the bombed-out interior of the clinic, where mattresses lay alongside wood, metal and concrete broken apart in the blast. 'We were surprised by missiles and explosions inside the building,' eyewitness Salman Qudum told AFP. 'We did not know where to go because of the dust and destruction.' In the south of the territory, Bassal said two people were killed and 20 others injured by Israeli forces' gunfire while waiting for aid near a distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). A US- and Israel-backed group, the GHF took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, but its operations have had a chaotic rollout with repeated reports of aid seekers killed near its facilities. The UN human rights office said last week that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza on Sunday placed that toll higher, at 751 killed. In Khan Yunis in the south, Bassal reported two people killed in an air strike on a house and another killed by Israeli gunfire. An air strike on a house in Gaza City killed one and injured several others, he added. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. In a separate statement, it said it had struck 'dozens of terrorists, weapons depots, observation posts, military buildings, and other terror infrastructures' over the past 24 hours. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency. Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Out of 251 hostages seized during the attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.