Scores of people rushed to Deir el-Balah hospital to identify bodies on Sunday after Israel stepped up its air strikes on Gaza, as the territory’s Hamas rulers said 4,651 people have now been killed since the start of the war.
Authorities said Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, had suffered most from one of the most intense nights of shelling since Israel started its bombardment in response to Hamas’ cross-border attacks on October 7.
More than 260 people died in 24 hours, according to the health ministry toll, which said 1,873 of those killed in the past fortnight were children.
Israel began bombarding the tiny enclave after Hamas militants stormed over the border on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping more than 200 in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.
At the hospital morgue in Deir el-Balah, bodies were everywhere including that of Mohammad Judeh and his three-year-old daughter Misk, who were placed on the same table, their faces uncovered.
Judeh’s cousin Wael Wafi said the girl was hugging her father when their bodies were pulled from the debris.
“All the Judeh family, including my aunt, were killed in the bombardment,” said Wafi.
“Two buildings were destroyed and came down on them.”
Some family members had taken refuge in the building after escaping shelling in northern Gaza, he added.
“My cousin was sleeping in his house with his daughter in his arms. He was a man with no record, nothing to do with the resistance,” said Wafi.
Another woman in the morgue nearly collapsed after lifting the sheets lying over bodies to discover her daughter and other members of her family.
Their names — Layan, Hani and Joane — were written on their legs. A relative later led the distraught woman away.
In the southern town of Khan Yunis, one strike on the Rio cafe killed 13 people.
The cafe was on the ground floor of a building housing people who had fled Israel’s bombardment of northern Gaza.
Israel has issued daily warnings for people to leave the north.
“I heard an explosion and then I saw dust, flames and debris flying. One minute later they struck again,” said Naji Shurrab, who lives opposite the cafe.