Deadly Israeli air strikes have been reported in Gaza, as Israel’s defence minister said its military would expand its offensive and seize large areas of the Palestinian territory – incorporating them into what he described as “security zones”.
Israel Katz said the expanded operation aimed to “destroy and clear the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure”, and would require a large-scale evacuation of Palestinians.
Later, at least 19 Palestinians, including nine children, were killed in a strike on a UN clinic sheltering displaced families in the northern town of Jabalia, the nearby Indonesian hospital said.
The Israeli military said it targeted “Hamas terrorists” hiding there.
Overnight strikes across Gaza killed at least 20 more people, according to local hospitals.
The Civil Defence said its first responders recovered the bodies of 12 people, including children and women, from a home in the southern Khan Younis area.
Rida al-Jabbour said a neighbour and her three-month-old baby were among the dead.
“From the moment the strike occurred we have not been able to sit or sleep or anything,” she told Reuters news agency.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.
The Civil Defence said the strike in Jabalia later on Wednesday hit two rooms in a clinic run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) which was being used as a shelter.
Video verified by the BBC showed dozens of people and ambulances rushing to the building. Smoke was seen billowing from a wing where two floors appeared to have collapsed.
Credit: bbc.com
