The tragic consequences of this violence have pushed the death toll in the territory to a devastating 436 people as of Monday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that they had carried out airstrikes on 500 targets affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad overnight.
The Palestinian interior ministry revealed that these targets included “towers, residential buildings, civil and service facilities, and many mosques.”
The IDF asserted that it had struck two Hamas operational assets within a Gaza mosque. They also claimed to have targeted seven Hamas command centres, an Islamic Jihad command centre, and several multi-story buildings, including the home of Hamas secretary Ruhi Mashtaa.
However, Hamas vehemently denied that these buildings were being used by the militant group, asserting that residential homes had been hit without any prior warning.
The consequences of this violence have been dire for the civilian population. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that nearly 74,000 people in Gaza have been displaced, seeking refuge in schools. Tragically, these numbers are expected to rise as heavy shelling and airstrikes persist, even in civilian areas.
One particularly distressing incident reported by the agency was the direct hit on a UNRWA school sheltering displaced individuals.