Dozens killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza

Israeli strikes have killed dozens more people, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Thursday, including in the territory's south where Israel has intensified operations.

In the occupied West Bank, where violence has surged alongside the war in Gaza, an Israeli raid continued into a second day around Tulkarem, an official said. Palestinian sources reported a sixth person had been killed in the operation.

The latest violence came as medicine for hostages held by the fighters and fresh aid for civilians entered the Palestinian territory under a newly brokered deal, mediator Qatar said.

The measure provided at least some relief in a region where tensions flared further following Pakistani strikes on an Iranian border region, and new US military action targeting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

Gaza's health ministry said 93 people had been killed, including 16 in one strike on a house in the southern city of Rafah, where many people have fled.

"The strike left 16 killed, among them women and children, and 20 injured," the ministry said.

A man sat quietly among the rubble after one strike in Rafah, his head bowed, examining a child's glove.

Umm Walid al-Zamli said she lost her children, and her house.

"The eldest was a second-grade girl," she said in a choked voice. "What did they do wrong? We can't rely on anyone, or the Arabs. We can only rely on ourselves."

The Hamas government reported dozens of strikes, including on the southern city of Khan Yunis and Palestinian refugee camps in central Gaza.

An explosion sounded before a heavy grey cloud of smoke rolled over central-southern Gaza in the early afternoon, live AFPTV images showed.

Israel's military on Thursday said dozens of fighters had been killed over the previous day in Khan Yunis, where it reported battles ongoing.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel is conducting relentless bombardment and a ground offensive since October 7. These have killed at least 24,448 Palestinians, around 70% of them women, children and adolescents, according to health ministry figures.

UN agencies say greater aid access is urgently needed to Gaza, where famine and disease threatens.

Qatar said on Wednesday that medicine for hostages and aid had entered Gaza under the agreement announced the day before, following French and Qatari mediation.

It said earlier two planes had arrived in the Egyptian city of El-Arish near Gaza with 61 tons of aid provided by Qatar and France.

Source: AFP