At Least 17 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes on Gaza Overnight

Palestinians inspect the scene after an Israeli air strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 13 July 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians inspect the scene after an Israeli air strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 13 July 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
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At Least 17 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes on Gaza Overnight

Palestinians inspect the scene after an Israeli air strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 13 July 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
Palestinians inspect the scene after an Israeli air strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 13 July 2024. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

At least 17 Palestinians were killed and 50 were wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza City in the early hours of Sunday morning, civil emergency and health officials said.

The fatalities resulted from at least four separate Israeli airstrikes on four houses in different areas of the city. Residents and Palestinian health officials said the Israeli military had stepped up aerial and ground shelling.

On Saturday an Israeli airstrike killed at least 90 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza, the enclave's health ministry said. The attack was the deadliest in Gaza for weeks.

Israel said the attack targeted Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif but it was uncertain whether he had been killed. Hamas said that Israeli claims it had targeted leaders of the group were false and were aimed at justifying the attack.

An Israeli military official said the area was not a tent complex, but an operational compound run by Hamas and that several more militants were there, guarding Deif.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday to discuss Israel's Gaza operations and emphasized the need to minimise civilian harm, the Pentagon said.

Josep Borrell Fontelles, the European Union's Foreign Affairs and Security Policy representative, called for an independent probe and condemned any potential violation of international law, posting on social media site X that the "end can’t justify all means."



Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Welcome Residents Amid Ruins, Stray Gunfire

A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
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Beirut’s Southern Suburbs Welcome Residents Amid Ruins, Stray Gunfire

A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)
A Lebanese woman passes by the rubble of a building in Beirut's southern suburbs (Reuters)

As autumn rain and celebratory gunfire marked the morning after a ceasefire, residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs returned to their streets. Traffic quickly resumed in the densely populated area, a small sign of normalcy.
But the destruction left by Israeli airstrikes tells a different story. Hundreds of buildings were reduced to rubble, with unofficial estimates putting the number of destroyed structures at 450. Many nearby buildings were also damaged.
While the damage is less than the 720 buildings destroyed in 2006, the wider reach of the strikes this time has left even more structures affected, spreading destruction and hardship across the suburbs.
Destruction marks nearly every street in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where the air carries the stench of burned debris and what locals call “strange chemicals” from Israeli airstrikes.
Abed, a young Syrian guard, was collecting what was left of his belongings after a missile hit three floors of his building. While the structure didn’t collapse, the lower floors were destroyed, cutting off access to the upper ones.
Engineers deemed the building unsafe, and officials will decide whether to repair or demolish it. If torn down, residents will have a brief chance to salvage their belongings.
This story is repeated across the area, where crumbling buildings stand beside others severely damaged.
“Our neighbor’s building collapsed, damaging ours,” said Mohammad Hashim, a 60-year-old resident.
“Our home is unlivable—broken stairs, shattered windows, and winter is here.”
Hashim is renting a temporary apartment for $1,500 a month and expects to stay longer than planned.
Unlike in 2006, when Hezbollah quickly compensated displaced residents, no assistance has been offered yet. Many, like Hashim, are unsure whether to start repairs or wait for help.
Amid the destruction, celebrations continue. Hezbollah distributed flags and banners before the ceasefire, turning the streets into a surreal mix of rubble and “victory” parades. Cars waved flags, even as most residents lacked homes to return to.
Gunfire during the celebrations sent some fleeing for safety. “We survived Israeli missiles, but now their bullets might kill us,” a motorcyclist shouted while speeding away.