37 killed by Israel in Gaza including women and children

At least 37 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on October 2nd say local medics, according to the Arab News via AFP and Reuters. Israel’s military said it had been targeting Hamas command centres.

At least 13 people were killed in two Israeli strikes in Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s eight refugee camps. A strike on a school sheltering the displaced also killed seven people according to medics. Israel said the strike was targeted at Hamas who were operating in what they Israel says is no longer Al-Shejaia School. It accused Hamas of putting military equipment in civilian areas, which Hamas denies.

READ: Fatah commander hit by Israeli strike

Medics also said that day that two strikes by Israel killed five Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, while in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a tent housing displaced Palestinians. This was followed hours later by an Israeli strike on a car in western Khan Younis that killed six Palestinians. Footage shared online, which Reuters could not immediately authenticate, showed a mangled, burnt-out vehicle.

Some in Palestine fear the invasion of Lebanon could prolong the war in Gaza, which began almost a year ago. “The eyes of the world now are on Lebanon while the occupation continues its killing in Gaza. We are afraid the war is going to go on for more months at least,” said Samir Mohammed, 46, a father of five from Gaza City. “It is all unclear now as Israel unleashes its force undeterred in Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and God knows where else in the future,” he said.

READ: Turkey working with 20 countries on Lebanon evacuations

Meanwhile, the US unveiled more sanctions against Israeli settlers over attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank. The latest sanctions target the Hilltop Youth, which the US Treasury Department described as a “violent extremist group,” and follows similar moves targeting the group by Australia, Britain and the EU.

Over the last year, the US has sanctioned Israeli settlers a number of times, voicing concerns to Netanyahu about the violence that has largely if not entirely been ignored. “Hilltop Youth has conducted a campaign of violence against Palestinians, engaging in killings, arson, assaults, and intimidation intended to drive Palestinian communities out of the West Bank,” the US Treasury said.

The State Department in the US also said it was designating two individuals – Eitan Yardeni, over his connection to violence or threats against Palestinians in the West Bank, and Avichai Suissa, who heads an organisation who provided support to previously sanctioned individuals.

Reuters and AFP