Israel killed 13 Palestinians in two airstrikes that Gaza medics and Hamas said were part of a force protecting humanitarian aid trucks, but Israel’s military said they were Hamas fighters trying to hijack the shipment, Reuters reports.

Many of those killed in the attacks on Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza had links to Hamas, medics and Palestinian residents said. The 13 were among 36 Palestinians killed in separate Israeli attacks, the medics said.

The Israeli military said in a statement the two airstrikes aimed to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and accused Hamas members of planning to prevent the aid from reaching Gaza civilians who need it.

The statement said the Hamas members aimed to hijack the aid “in support of continuing terrorist activity.”

Read more here.

Palestinians check the damage inside an apartment hit in an Israeli air strike early on December 12, 2024 near the Nuseirat refugee in the central Gaza Strip, amid the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas. — AFP
Palestinians check the damage inside an apartment hit in an Israeli air strike early on December 12, 2024 near the Nuseirat refugee in the central Gaza Strip, amid the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas. — AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Spoiler alert
17 Jun, 2026

Spoiler alert

AFTER the temporary peace deal between the US and Iran is physically signed in Geneva on Friday, an arduous process...
Storm-tested cities
17 Jun, 2026

Storm-tested cities

THE deaths caused by the latest spell of monsoon rains in KP and Punjab illustrate how quickly severe weather can...
Chakwal tragedy
17 Jun, 2026

Chakwal tragedy

A NINE-year-old girl is dead because a Punjab Crime Control Department gunman mistook her family’s car for a...
A new deal
Updated 16 Jun, 2026

A new deal

AFTER three and a half months of war between US-Israel and Iran and an acrimonious temporary ceasefire, a genuine...
Charter of economy
16 Jun, 2026

Charter of economy

NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected...
Hostage seamen
16 Jun, 2026

Hostage seamen

SOME 50 days on, 11 Pakistani nationals are still in Somali pirates’ captivity. Their appeals to the Pakistani and...