Israel kills four Palestinians in Gaza as attacks on tents continue | Al-Aqsa Mosque News

Israeli attacks killed at least four Palestinians, including a 13-year-old girl, and wounded several others in the Gaza Strip, as Israel continued its assault on the enclave and expanded raids across the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Sunday that an Israeli drone struck the al-Salatin area, west of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, killing at least two people and wounding at least one more.

In southern Gaza, Israeli forces bombed a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis. Israeli warplanes fired a missile at the tent, wounding several people who were taken to hospital.

Medical staff at Nasser Medical Complex said they received the body of one unidentified man after the attack.

They said that in a separate incident, 13-year old Eileen al-Farra was killed by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling, also in southern Gaza.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it helped transfer 14 Palestinians held captive by Israel from the Kerem Abu Salem crossing to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza. It also helped them to contact and reunite with their families.

The ICRC said it has facilitated the transfer of more than 2,500 released detainees since 2023 through the same mechanism.

But the organisation said Israel had not allowed it to access Palestinian detainees held in Israeli detention centres since October 2023.

It said authorities must disclose the fate and whereabouts of all detainees, allow visits, and ensure they can communicate with their families.

Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Gaza City, said: “Israel has intensified its air strikes on Saturday, mainly targeting makeshift tents, specifically in Gaza City and the al-Mawasi area, which has been designated as a safe zone under the talks and the map of the ceasefire agreement that was reached last year.”

“These attacks have been accompanied by an expansion of Israel’s ground activities in eastern portions of Gaza City, with Israeli forces expanding the space of the yellow demarcation line.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Israel’s genocide in the enclave has now killed at least 73,054 Palestinians and wounded 173,480 since October 7, 2023.

Hospitals received three bodies and treated 43 wounded people over the past 24 hours, the ministry added.

West Bank raids and mosque restrictions

In occupied East Jerusalem, 110 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy Israeli police protection, according to the Islamic Waqf Department.

The Waqf said settlers entered through the Mughrabi Gate, toured the courtyards and performed provocative rituals in the eastern area of the compound.

Israeli police imposed tight restrictions on Palestinian worshippers, harassed them, blocked some from entering and confiscated identity cards at external gates.

In Hebron, Israeli forces prevented the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque for the eighth consecutive day.

Munjid al-Ja’bari, the mosque’s director, said Israeli forces had blocked the call to prayer at all times over the past eight days, Wafa reported. He said the restrictions aimed to tighten Israeli control over the mosque and empty it of worshippers.

Israeli forces also shot a young Palestinian man in the foot with live ammunition during a raid on Qalandiya camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, and arrested two others.

In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces arrested two young men after raiding Beit Sahour and searching a family home.

In Nablus, Israeli forces arrested 11 Palestinians after storming and searching homes in several areas. They also raided Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, arrested two Palestinians, including journalist Anas al-Hawari, and destroyed a vehicle.

Palestinian groups warned that Israel is escalating its attacks on medical workers and civil society organisations.

The Palestinian NGO Network called for international pressure to secure the release of detained doctors, including Mazen al-Rantisi, Khaled Ayash and Hussam Abu Safia.

The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said Palestinian women held in Damon prison face harsh conditions and deprivation of basic rights.

It said prisoner Lina Muhammad Wazwaz, a teacher and mother of four, suffered severe pain from tight handcuffs after her arrest and later sustained a facial injury during a prison raid.