CAIRO — Massive Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday (Dec 17) targeted residential areas in the northern Gaza Strip, killing multiple members of extended families, according to Gaza medics. The Israeli military stated the strikes were aimed at a Hamas weapons storage site. In the southern Gaza Strip, displaced families were forced to flee again as Israeli tanks advanced toward a humanitarian zone near the Mediterranean coast, residents reported.

In Gaza City’s Daraj neighborhood, medics confirmed that at least 10 people were killed when an airstrike leveled a house and damaged nearby structures. Further north in Beit Lahiya, which has been under Israeli siege since October, an airstrike at dawn left at least 15 people dead or missing under the rubble, medics said, though rescuers could not access the site to confirm the casualty count.

Additional airstrikes elsewhere in Gaza City and Beit Lahiya claimed the lives of at least 10 more Palestinians, according to medics. The Israeli military stated it had targeted a Hamas weapons storage facility that also served as a sniper post, claiming measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties, such as using precision weapons and conducting aerial surveillance.

Israel has been conducting operations in Beit Lahiya since October, asserting that the offensive is aimed at preventing Hamas fighters from regrouping. However, Palestinians accuse the military of attempting to create a depopulated buffer zone in the area, a claim Israel denies.

In the southern enclave near Rafah, Israeli tanks advanced toward the western Mawasi area, displacing families who fled north to Khan Younis, residents said. Hours later, reports emerged that Israeli forces demolished homes and set tents ablaze in Mawasi, which had been designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone. Thousands of Palestinians had sought refuge there in tents after being instructed by Israeli forces to move for safety.

Videos circulating on social media depicted plumes of smoke rising near the tent encampment, although the exact time and location could not be independently verified. The Israeli military stated it had no information about tank movements in Mawasi.

Efforts to broker a ceasefire in the 14-month-long conflict, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have resumed after months of stalemate, though no agreement has been reached. An official involved in the negotiations revealed that an Israeli team was in Doha for technical discussions with Qatari mediators regarding unresolved issues in a proposed ceasefire and the release of hostages. Egypt’s Al-Qahera news outlet reported “intensive” mediation efforts involving Egypt and Qatar to secure a truce.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking over 250 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. Israel’s subsequent air and ground operations have resulted in over 45,000 deaths, predominantly civilians, as reported by officials in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The campaign has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and left much of the area in ruins.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file