GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Israeli army on Thursday morning killed at least six Palestinians in airstrikes and artillery shelling on homes in northern Gaza as the army stepped up its ground assault in the enclave’s north.

A medical source told Anadolu that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a home belonging to the Al-Asi family in Beit Lahia town.

A sixth Palestinian was killed and several others injured when an Israeli drone struck a home belonging to the Al-Masri family in Beit Lahia, the source added.

The deadly strikes came with artillery shelling and opening fire from gun machines towards residential areas in Beit Lahia, according to witnesses in the areas.

The Israeli army also continued to blow up homes on the outskirts of Jabalia and the areas between Gaza City and northern Gaza, especially the Saftawi area, witnesses said.

The Israeli army laid a siege in northern Gaza last month, claiming it is trying to stop Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

More than 1,800 people have been killed since then, according to Palestinian health authorities. Food and other aid are severely limited.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 43,400 people and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar