Palestinians bury pregnant woman killed in strikes

Palestinians on Saturday buried a pregnant woman with twins and two of her children who were among at least 13 people killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza.

The toll on Friday included two men who were killed in Gaza City, and eight others killed in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to local hospitals. Officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said the eight people, including four police officers, were killed after Israel targeted a police vehicle.

 Khalid Al-Tanani, of Beit Lahiya, recalled the series of strikes that killed his wife and two of his four children in the northern Gaza Strip. “With the first shell, thank God we all survived and were calling out to each other. Then they fired the second, third, and fourth shells one after the other. Their voices fell silent. I went inside and found my wife, Islam Al-Tanani, martyred, and my son, Hamza, and Naya in her mother’s arms. I found them martyred.” The children were 4 and 13 years old.

Hamza’s 13-year-old twin survived, along with another of the couple’s children. Al-Tanani said they had just started talking about gathering baby items and clothes for the twins. Family members wailed over the bodies on Saturday. “You took my soul with you, Hamza, you took me with you and broke me, Hamza,” his grandmother sobbed.

Israel’s military said several militants had threatened troops in the area and the military targeted them in an airstrike after warning civilians. Al-Tanani said the strikes came without prior notice.

Israel’s military said it had targeted two militants who threatened its troops in Gaza City and did not comment on the third strike in Khan Younis that killed eight. While the heaviest fighting has mostly subsided, deadly Israeli strikes have repeatedly disrupted the truce since it took effect on October 10.