Israeli forces continue targeting Gaza as Palestinian death toll rises to 31
GAZA CITY, Palestine
Israeli forces continued to strike the Gaza Strip for the fourth day in a row on Friday, bringing the total death toll from airstrikes to 31, including six children and three women.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 31 people, including six children and three women, have been killed and 93 others, including 32 children and 17 women, have been injured in the last four days of Israeli forces air attacks.
The statement came after the ministry announced the death of a Palestinian, who succumbed to his injuries sustained during an Israeli raid in northern Gaza.
Five senior members of the Islamic Jihad organization were also killed in the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Earlier, the Israeli army destroyed a home owned by the Palestinian “Bashir” family at dawn on Friday as Israeli raids on various locations in the southern Gaza Strip continued.
Meanwhile, armed Palestinian factions retaliated by firing rocket-propelled grenades at Israeli military sites adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, reported that a rocket fired from Gaza struck a residential building in the central Israeli city of Rehovot, resulting in one fatality and five injuries.
Regional and international powers have urged an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Palestine, but have been unsuccessful thus far.
The Israeli army has said the airstrikes are part of its Operation Shield and Arrow, an offensive launched after rockets were fired from Gaza following the death of a Palestinian inmate who was on a hunger strike in an Israeli prison.
According to Palestinian figures, more than 160 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of this year. At least 20 Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi
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