DEIR EL-BALAH – Local health officials reported that Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday resulted in the deaths of nine people in the Gaza Strip, primarily consisting of women and children.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, two strikes hit tents, each claiminG the lives of two children and their parents. Another strike killed an additional child and injured seven individuals, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies from all three strikes.

The Israeli military asserts that it solely targets militants and endeavors to avoid civilian casualties, attributing civilian deaths to Hamas due to the militants’ presence in densely populated areas. No immediate Israeli response was available regarding the latest strikes.

Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, including food, medicine and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks in what it says is a pressure tactic aimed at forcing Hamas to release hostages. Israel resumed its offensive in March, shattering a ceasefire that had facilitated the release of more than 30 hostages.

Aid groups say food supplies are running low and hunger is widespread.

U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has voiced full support for Israel’s actions, is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour that will not include Israel.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. Fifty-nine hostages are still inside Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants or civilians. The offensive has destroyed vast areas of the territory and displaced some 90% of its population of around 2 million.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.

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