Israeli airstrikes on Gaza resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians and numerous injuries on Friday. The strikes targeted the outskirts of Beit Lahia and surrounding neighborhoods, according to reports from Palestinian security sources.
The intense shelling, carried out by Israeli artillery, led to multiple casualties. Local medical teams transported the injured to hospitals for treatment, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
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The Israeli military responded to rockets fired from the Beit Lahia area earlier in the day. In reaction, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ordered residents of Beit Lahia and nearby areas to evacuate immediately.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that the IDF would “act forcefully and immediately against these terrorist elements” responsible for the rocket attacks.
This latest escalation is part of a broader offensive by Israel against Hamas, which began after a Hamas attack on the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken. The ongoing conflict has now claimed over 40,000 Palestinian lives in the Gaza Strip.