At least 18 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a mosque in Gaza.

An Israeli airstrike early on Sunday hit a mosque near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens more, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The strike occurred as the conflict between Israel and Hamas approaches its first anniversary. Eyewitnesses reported that the mosque was sheltering displaced people, and the casualty count may rise. 

The Israeli military stated that it had "conducted a precise strike on Hamas terrorists operating within a command and control center located in a structure that formerly served as the 'Shuhada al-Aqsa' Mosque in Deir al-Balah."

The recent escalation in violence stems from an October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and around 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza, resulting in nearly 42,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, led to widespread hunger, and sparked genocide allegations against Israel at the World Court, which Israel denies.