At Least 22 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Amid Communications Blackout Threats
Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 22 Palestinians, including a journalist, as Gaza faces the looming threat of a communications blackout due to severe fuel shortages.
Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 22 Palestinians, including a journalist, as Gaza faces the looming threat of a communications blackout due to severe fuel shortages.
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Airstrikes Target Gaza, Causing Casualties
According to Gaza’s Civil Defence, eight people were killed, and several others were injured in an airstrike targeting a group of people and a house in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. Later, seven more people died in an attack on the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Additionally, medical officials in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis confirmed that four individuals were killed following aerial and artillery strikes.
Journalist Among the Dead in Gaza
In central Gaza’s Al-Nuseirat, three more fatalities were reported, including journalist Sa’ed Nabhan from Al-Ghad TV. His death brings the total number of journalists killed in the ongoing conflict to 203, according to Gaza’s government media office.
Communications Blackout Looms Amid Fuel Shortages
Fuel shortages, worsened by Israel’s blockade of humanitarian supplies, have raised concerns over potential disruptions to communication services in Gaza, including internet and landlines. Abdul Razzaq Al-Natsha, Gaza’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, warned that these services could be cut off by Friday night. This could worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
Ongoing Conflict and Death Toll
The ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack in southern Israel, has now surpassed 460 days. It has led to over 46,000 Palestinian deaths and the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis.
Israeli Airstrike in Southern Lebanon Kills Five
Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon killed five people and injured four others on Friday. The airstrike targeted a car in the Tayr Debba municipality of southern Lebanon’s Tyre district, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Additionally, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon’s town of Khiam resulted in five more deaths.
Continued Israeli Strikes in Southern Lebanon
Despite a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, Israeli forces have continued to launch strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, including targeting a vehicle carrying weapons belonging to Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported seizing a multi-barrel rocket launcher, mortar shells, explosive devices, and RPG rifles during an operation in a southern Lebanese village. The IDF also discovered a weapons storage facility containing shoulder-launched missiles and other military equipment, all of which were confiscated or dismantled.
Ongoing Instability and Humanitarian Crisis
This intensifying violence underscores the continuing instability in the region, where the humanitarian situation remains critical as both Palestinian and Lebanese civilian casualties mount.
