On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes across Palestinian territories resulted in significant casualties. In the West Bank, five Palestinians were killed in an airstrike on the city of Tubas. Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip saw devastating losses, with at least 20 people, including 16 women and children, reported dead. The Gaza Health Ministry also noted a tragic airstrike on a tent camp in a humanitarian zone that killed 19 people on Tuesday.
The ongoing conflict has taken a severe toll on Gaza, with the Health Ministry reporting over 40,000 deaths since the start of the war. This figure includes both fighters and civilians. The war has caused massive destruction and displaced approximately 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.
In a related incident, a fuel tanker crashed into a bus stop in the West Bank, seriously injuring one person. Israeli officials suggest it was an attack, though details remain unclear. The driver was "neutralized" at the scene.
In Gaza, a polio vaccination campaign has managed to reach 82.5% of its targeted children, with 527,776 under-10s vaccinated so far. This effort comes after the first polio case in Gaza in 25 years. The campaign, supported by Israeli humanitarian pauses, aims to vaccinate around 640,000 children.
An Israeli military helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, killing two soldiers and injuring seven others. The incident, which occurred during a medical evacuation mission, is under investigation and was not attributed to enemy fire.
Additionally, dozens of Palestinian patients, including many children, are set to leave Gaza for medical treatment in the UAE via an Israeli crossing. This marks the largest medical evacuation since the war began.
In Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, the new Hamas leader, issued his first statement, thanking Algeria for its support of the Palestinian cause. Sinwar, a key figure in the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the conflict, remains in hiding within Gaza, with Israel vowing to target him.
Lastly, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have been deadly, with recent strikes killing 20 people, including women and children. The Israeli military asserts it targets militants, while Palestinian officials report extensive civilian casualties. Since the conflict began, at least 41,020 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with over 95,000 wounded.