At least eight Palestinian civilians were killed and several others wounded on Thursday in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes that targeted multiple areas across the besieged Gaza Strip, according to local sources and health officials.

The attacks struck residential and agricultural zones in Al-Mawasi, Beit Lahia, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Yunis, resulting in more bloodshed amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, now nearing its eighth month.

In one of the deadliest incidents of the day, three civilians were killed and another wounded in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a group of farmers in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Rafah city. The victims were reportedly working on their land when the unmanned aircraft struck without warning.

In the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces carried out a strike on the town of Beit Lahia, killing three more civilians. The exact identities of the victims have yet to be confirmed, but medics described the strike as “devastating,” leaving behind a scene of destruction and dismembered bodies.

In southern Gaza, a young girl succumbed to injuries sustained in earlier strikes on Khan Yunis, highlighting the toll on children that continues to climb. Separately, another civilian was killed in the Al-Manara area, southeast of Khan Yunis, following another drone shelling.

Meanwhile, in central Gaza, several civilians were injured when Israeli aircraft targeted a residential home east of Deir al-Balah city. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with rescue teams struggling to evacuate the wounded amid ongoing drone surveillance and the threat of further strikes.

Thursday’s deadly raids are part of Israel’s wide-ranging military onslaught on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023. According to the latest figures from Gaza’s health authorities, at least 52,400 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, and over 118,014 have been injured in the past seven months.

However, the true scale of the tragedy may be far greater. Thousands are believed to remain buried under the rubble of bombed buildings or stranded in hard-to-reach areas where ambulance and civil defense crews cannot safely operate due to continued shelling.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with food, water, and medical supplies critically scarce. As Israel’s genocidal aggression shows no sign of abating, rights groups and humanitarian organizations have reiterated their calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access for aid and rescue workers. (ILKHA)