At least 7 killed in Israeli strike on Gaza funeral gathering

Deir Al-Balah: An Israeli strike targeting a funeral procession in the Gaza Strip on Friday resulted in at least seven deaths and left another 22 people wounded, according to medical officials at a local hospital.

The Israeli military provided no immediate response regarding the incident.

Awda Hospital, located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, verified the casualty figures, reporting that the mourners were gathered for the burial of a Palestinian killed in an earlier strike on Friday when the attack occurred.

Israel and the Hamas militant organisation entered into a ceasefire agreement in October, intended to end a conflict that had persisted for two years. While the most intense combat has abated, the territory's Health Ministry reports that at least 1,123 individuals have been killed in Gaza since the truce came into effect.

The ministry, which operates under the Hamas-led administration, maintains casualty statistics that are regarded as generally accurate by independent experts and United Nations agencies. Whilst the ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its reporting, it states that women and children comprise the majority of the fatalities.

Militants have continued to conduct shooting operations against Israeli troops, and the Israeli government maintains that its military actions are carried out in response to those provocations and other breaches of the ceasefire. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce was established.

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 hostages. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel’s subsequent military offensive has claimed the lives of more than 73,264 Palestinians, a figure that includes those killed following the implementation of the ceasefire.

AP