Israeli Strikes Kill 13 Palestinians in Gaza, Including Refugees; Family Demands Probe into American Activist’s Death

At least 13 Palestinians were killed and 15 wounded in recent Israeli airstrikes targeting a school sheltering refugees and a residential building in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, WAFA.

Eight of the deceased were reported to be in refugee tents at Halima al-Sa’diyya School in Jabalia, located in northern Gaza.

The Israeli army defended the strikes, stating that they were “precise attacks on terrorists operating inside a Hamas command and control centre,” which was reportedly embedded in a compound previously used as the Halima al-Sa’diyya School.

In a separate incident, Israeli strikes on a residential building in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians.

The escalation of violence follows the deadly Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7th of the previous year, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and approximately 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli sources.

Since then, Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip have claimed over 40,800 Palestinian lives, displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, and triggered a severe hunger crisis.

Allegations of genocide have been brought before the International Court of Justice, which Israel vehemently denies.

The United Nations reports that at least 1.9 million people in Gaza are internally displaced, with some having been uprooted more than ten times.

American Activist’s Death

In another development, the family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American woman, is calling for an independent investigation into her death.

Eygi was shot while participating in a protest against Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank’s Beita.

Eygi’s family accused the Israeli military of her “unlawful” and “violent” killing, stating that she was “shot in the head” by an Israeli soldier. They have appealed to U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to ensure a thorough and independent inquiry into the incident.

The Israeli military has responded, claiming its forces opened fire in response to a primary instigator of violent activity who was allegedly hurling rocks and posing a threat during the protest.

Eygi was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and was involved in weekly demonstrations against the Eviatar settlement outpost near Beita.

The UN rights office and Rafidia Hospital confirmed her death, with Turkey condemning the action as “barbaric” and calling for accountability.

The U.S. government has described the incident as “tragic” and urged Israel to conduct an investigation, though Eygi’s family insists that an independent probe is necessary. They noted that Eygi had been a vocal advocate for an end to violence against Palestinians.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal under international law. Since the conflict’s escalation on October 7th, Israeli actions have resulted in over 690 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank, while Israeli officials report that at least 23 Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period.