Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Saturday, at least 24 people have been killed so far by the Israeli airstrikes in the coastal strip, including six children.
The fighting began with Israel’s killing of a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group in a wave of attacks on Friday, which Israel claims were meant to prevent an imminent attack they had detected.
A 5-year-old girl was among the victims, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a press conference in Gaza City.
“The Israeli occupation is focusing its attacks on residential areas, which causes casualties among civilians,” al-Qudra stated.
Meanwhile, government spokesman Salama Maaruf said more than 650 housing units were damaged in the Israeli military offensive.
“This crime is aggravating the already difficult humanitarian conditions in Gaza due to the 15-year Israeli blockade,” he told the press conference.
So far, Hamas, the larger militant group that rules Gaza, appears to have stayed on the sidelines of this conflict, thereby keeping its intensity somewhat contained.