Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Claim 10 Lives, Hamas Decries 'Another War Crime'

Israeli airstrikes on crowded areas of the Gaza

Israeli airstrikes on crowded areas of the Gaza Strip killed at least 10 Palestinians on Wednesday, with separate attacks hitting a police station and a densely populated refugee camp. Local health officials confirmed the casualties, adding that dozens more were wounded in the strikes, which sent thick plumes of smoke over the enclave.

The first strike leveled a police headquarters in Gaza City, collapsing the structure onto officers and bystanders. The second attack targeted a residential block in the al-Shati refugee camp, a cramped neighborhood that has repeatedly been caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with rescue teams digging through rubble by hand before dawn.

Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, swiftly condemned the operations, calling them a 'new war crime' and accusing Israeli forces of deliberately striking civilian infrastructure. In a statement, the group warned that such actions would only deepen the cycle of violence and vowed to respond.

Israeli military officials defended the strikes, saying …

Israeli military officials defended the strikes, saying they were aimed at militant infrastructure and accused Hamas of embedding operations within civilian areas. They claimed the police headquarters served as a command center for attacks, though they did not provide immediate evidence for the claim.

The fatalities bring the death toll in Gaza to a staggering new height, with medical sources reporting that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict escalated. International aid agencies have repeatedly urged for a ceasefire, but diplomatic efforts have so far failed to yield a lasting truce, as both sides remain entrenched in their positions.

Residents in the affected areas spent the morning sifting through debris, searching for missing relatives. The United Nations has called for an independent investigation into the latest strikes, reiterating that attacks on crowded civilian zones must adhere to international law. Meanwhile, the streets of Gaza remained tense, with sporadic gunfire and further airstrikes reported in the hours following the initial assault.