At least 143 Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza on Thursday, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday, as the Israeli military has intensified its strikes on the besieged territory amid President Trump’s visit to the region.

At least 16 more have been killed early Friday morning, Gaza time, as Israel continues to ramp up attacks, suggesting the Israeli military has started the next phase of its genocidal war.

Health officials told Al Jazeera that at least 61 were killed in a barrage of attacks on the southern city of Khan Younis. Heavy Israeli strikes were also reported in Jabalia, northern Gaza, for the second day.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, at least 15 Palestinians, including 11 children and one woman, were killed by the strikes on Jabalia. Photos and videos from Gaza on Thursday show many children among the casualties.

WAFA also reported that among those killed in Khan Younis was a journalist named Ahmad al-Helou. Based on a previous report from WAFA, al-Helou’s killing brings the total number of journalists killed by the IDF in Gaza to 213.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday that the European Hospital in Khan Younis was out of service due to a recent Israeli attack, which targeted the outside of the facility with bunker-busting bombs. The Israeli military claimed it targeted an underground Hamas “command and control” center but provided no evidence, and an analysis from Sky News contradicted the claim.

Read More