'Complete families' wiped out by latest Gaza airstrikes

Israel has launched an “extensive” ground operation in the north and south of Gaza after airstrikes reportedly killed 135 Palestinians across the enclave.

- NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI, TOM WATLING

The Israeli military announced this latest offensive, part of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots”, yesterday after a lack of progress in indirect talks with Hamas in Qatar. The Israel Defense Forces has continued to escalate its attacks on Gaza in recent days, with at least 464 Palestinians killed between 11-17 May, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

One report over the weekend suggested Israel is looking to divide Gaza into three tightly controlled strips of land if no ceasefire is agreed, while another claimed the US is developing a plan to relocate a million Palestinians to war-torn Libya.

Israel had warned an expanded assault would go ahead if no hostage deal was agreed with Hamas by the conclusion of US president Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East, which ended on Friday.

One of Israel’s strikes hit a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, killing women and children, wounding dozens and setting several tents ablaze. Medical officials said a family in northern Gaza lost at least 20 of its members, and three journalists and their families are also among the dead.

Hamas described the strike as a “new brutal crime” and blamed the US administration for the escalation. “We have at least 100 martyrs since overnight,” Gaza health ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran said, before later updating that number to more than 130. “Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by Israeli bombardment.”