Gaza civil defence and al-Shifa staff said an Israeli strike on a residential building in the Remal neighbourhood killed at least five people early Saturday, while hospital sources put the day's death toll across Gaza at eight.
An Israeli air attack on a residential apartment in western Gaza City killed at least five people and severely wounded others early Saturday, Gaza's Civil Defence agency and staff at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera. Hospital sources said eight Palestinians died across the Gaza Strip that day, including one in Beit Lahiya and two who died of wounds from earlier attacks.
Al Jazeera reported that the strike hit the al-Asala building in the Remal neighbourhood while residents were asleep, and that the blast tore through floors below the targeted apartment. Correspondent Hani al-Shaer said three strikes hit the building. A separate account from correspondent Hind Khoudary described explosions near the al-Haid roundabout around 2 a.m. local time.
The Israeli military said it targeted the building in an attempt to kill Ali al-Amoudi, whom it described as deputy chairman of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, and said the apartment was used by Hamas. The military said the results were still under review and did not confirm whether al-Amoudi was killed.
Among the dead were two Christian women, Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary Hafez Michel al-Najjar, the Palestinian Wafa agency reported, citing Ramzi Khoury of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs. Their funeral was held at the Church of Saint Porphyrius. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued condolences.
The World Health Organization said on Saturday that delays in bringing medicines and other supplies into Gaza were having devastating consequences for patients. Al Jazeera reported that doctors described difficulty saving the wounded because of restricted medical supplies, and that people were queuing to leave through the Rafah crossing.
People Sentiments Negative
- Fouad Al-Najjar said he lost his mother and grandmother in the strike
- Cardinal Pizzaballa expressed deep sorrow over the killing of the two women
- The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem prayed for an end to bombardment