Israel airstrikes mosque in Gaza, at least 18 people killed

On October 6, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israel had airstrikes on a mosque in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 18 people and injuring dozens of others.

In a statement later, the Israeli military confirmed that it had carried out a precision strike targeting Hamas members operating from a camouflaged command center in the former mosque in Deir al Balah. The mosque is located near the Al-Aqsa hospital in the central Gaza Strip.

The attack comes as the conflict between Israel and Hamas approaches a year. Witnesses say the death toll could rise as the mosque is now a shelter for displaced people.

According to the Gaza Health Authority, Israel’s offensive on the strip since October 7 last year has killed some 42,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people, creating one of the largest humanitarian crises ever.

On the same day, the Israeli military announced that it was putting its forces on high alert ahead of the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 event, and said that Hamas members were trying to attack deep inside Israel.

On October 7 last year, members of the Hamas movement infiltrated Israeli territory and launched a major attack, taking hundreds of hostages.

Following the Hamas offensive, Israel launched one of its most devastating bombing campaigns on Gaza and imposed a full-scale siege on the enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a “state of war” and ordered an assault on Gaza to eliminate Hamas and rescue the hostages.