Tensions in the Middle East are escalating day by day with continuous crossfires and airstrikes. An Israeli airstrike on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, including children, at a school-turned-shelter in central Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that a drone attack by Hezbollah, a militant group based in Gaza, killed four of its soldiers the same day. The constant exchange of attacks has also affected the safety of the UN peacekeepers based in the region leading to growing international concern and condemnation.
The United Nations has said that no food has entered northern Gaza since October 1, with many civilians facing dire shortages amid ongoing military actions.
Recent Developments
Israel airstrike on Gaza hospital kills 4
Early Monday, more explosions were reported outside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where victims of Sunday's airstrike were admitted. The airstrike before dawn killed at least four Palestinians and injured 40 as the flames from the attack hit a packed tent camp, The Times of Israel reported.
Israeli airstrike kills 20 in Gaza
An Israeli airstrike on Sunday night resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, including children, at a school-turned-shelter in central Gaza. The strike, which occurred in Nuseirat, also killed two women. The school was sheltering some of the many Palestinians who were displaced due to the war.
The victims' bodies were transported to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, over 42,000 Palestinians have died during the yearlong conflict, a figure that does not differentiate between militants and civilians.
Hezbollah drone attack kills Israeli soldiers
The Israeli military on Sunday reported that four soldiers were killed in a drone attack by Hezbollah near Binyamina city. The strike has been labeled the deadliest by the militant group since Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon began nearly two weeks ago.
Hezbollah claimed the attack was retaliation for Thursday's Israeli airstrikes on Beirut that resulted in 22 fatalities. The group said it targeted Israel's elite Golani brigade, launching dozens of missiles to occupy Israeli air defense systems during the assault by “squadrons” of drones.
Continued strikes and retaliations
Following the drone attack, Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah positions, including an Ottoman-era market in southern Lebanon's Nabatiyeh, killing at least one and injuring four.
The Lebanese Red Cross reported an incident where paramedics were injured during an Israeli strike while searching for casualties from a prior attack.
US to send new air defense system to Israel
The United States has announced plans to send a new air defense system to Israel, along with troops to operate it. This military support comes amid fears of broader regional conflict, with both Iran and Hezbollah threatening retaliation against Israeli actions.
This move highlights the seriousness of the ongoing military confrontations involving both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
UN Peacekeepers also caught in crossfire
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping force reported that Israeli tanks forcibly entered a peacekeeping position, leading to a condemnation of what they described as a violation of international law. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused UNIFIL of acting as a "human shield" for Hezbollah, urging the evacuation of peacekeepers from danger zones.