Israel’s airstrikes on new Gaza offensive kill 17

The Palestinian city of Khan Younis was targeted by intensive airstrikes overnight, as Israel pursued its ramped-up offensive across the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian news agency WAFA on Monday, 17 people were killed in the coastal territory during the night.

WAFA did not initially provide details on the identity of the victims.

According to medics in Gaza, at least six people were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes on Khan Younis.

Witnesses told dpa that there were about 30 airstrikes on the area.

The internet connection failed in large parts of the city.

Palestinian media reports by WAFA and others said that a special unit of the Israeli army had killed a commander of the al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, which is allied with the Islamist movement Hamas.

The information could not initially be independently verified.

The Israeli military emphasised that it did all it can to avoid civilian casualties when attacking targets belonging to Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

This cannot be verified either as reporters has very limited access to the area.

The Israeli Air Force has been carrying out massive aerial attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip in recent days, and Israel announced an “extensive’’ new ground operation across the territory on Sunday.

Dozens of Palestinian deaths are being reported daily from the Gaza Strip. (dpa/NAN)