Airstrikes on Gaza killed at least 40, Medics

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) reported that the deadly attack took place at dawn, with the building collapsing on its occupants. Thirty others were injured in nearby houses, the PCHR added in a statement.

Social media footage, which Reuters could not independently verify, showed a dozen bodies wrapped in blankets and placed outside a hospital near Jabalia. Local media identified the victims as those killed in the airstrike on the building, which had been home to at least 30 people, according to residents.

In response, the Israeli military said it had targeted a site in Jabalia where "terrorists were operating," claiming these individuals posed a threat to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops in the area. "The details are under review," the military statement read.

In Gaza City, another Israeli airstrike hit a house in the Sabra neighborhood, killing Wael Al-Khour, a senior official at Gaza's welfare ministry, along with his wife, one son, two daughters, and three grandchildren. Medical officials and relatives confirmed the deaths. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its teams, working with the International Committee of the Red Cross, evacuated 20 patients from Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia on Sunday. However, one patient died after ambulances were delayed for hours at an Israeli checkpoint between northern Gaza and Gaza City.

Hospitals in and around Jabalia have been under siege by Israeli forces for weeks. Despite orders from the Israeli military to evacuate, hospital officials have refused to leave their patients, citing the depletion of essential supplies.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure for military purposes, a charge Hamas denies. The armed wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for killing 15 Israeli soldiers in an attack on Beit Lahiya, north of Jabalia. Israel has not commented on the claim, and Reuters could not independently verify it.

Since October 5, Israeli forces have conducted a major military operation in northern Gaza, focusing on Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun, areas heavily associated with Hamas fighters. Israel claims to have killed hundreds of militants in these operations.

Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have so far failed. Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, had been attempting to mediate peace talks but announced on Saturday that it would suspend its efforts unless both sides showed "willingness and seriousness" to resume negotiations.

The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli communities, killing over 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has claimed the lives of approximately 43,500 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials.