WORLD NEWS – Israel airstrikes kill 40 in humanitarian zone, including Gaza police chief and 3 young brothers

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 40 people, including Hamas security officers and residents of a designated humanitarian zone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that an authorized delegation was sent to the Mossad intelligence agency in Qatar to facilitate military negotiations toward a ceasefire deal.

The humanitarian zone housed hundreds of thousands of residents. One resident described the aftermath: “Everyone was taking shelter in their tents from the cold, and suddenly we found the world turning upside down. Why, and for what?” Among the victims were three brothers ages 7, 11 and 13, a senior Hamas officer, and the Gaza police chief.

The Israeli military stated that their target was a senior Hamas police officer involved in gathering intelligence for attacks on Israeli forces. Military spokesperson David Mence defended the strikes, claiming that Hamas leaders were using the humanitarian zone as cover for their operations.