Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza Strip kills 33 Palestinians: Hamas

At least 33 Palestinians were killed on Friday evening, 18 October, in an Israeli airstrike on the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said.

Among the killed were 21 women, and total fatalities may reach 50 due to many victims trapped under rubble and buildings. The bombing injured over 85 people, some of whom sustained serious injuries, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement issued by the media office.

The Israeli army bombed several homes in Jabalia camp, it added.

The Israeli army has not yet commented on the incident.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 42,500, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, the US and Germany have said that the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar can "create a momentum to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip".

In a joint statement on Friday, German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and US secretary of state Antony Blinken said: "Yahya Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist who was bent on eradicating Israel and its people. As vicious mastermind of the 7 October (2023) terror attacks, he brought death to thousands of people and immeasurable suffering across an entire region."

"Sinwar stood in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza. His death can create a momentum to end the conflict. All hostages must be released," they said after their meeting in Berlin earlier on Friday.

The two leaders also emphasised the need to surge humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. "At the same time, humanitarian aid must be surged to the civilians in Gaza in need. Germany and the United States, together with partners, won't spare any effort on this path," they said.