Israel kills at least 51 people in Gaza over 24 hours

51 Palestinians were killed and 104 wounded in Gaza over 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, the devastated enclave's Health Ministry said.

The latest casualties bring the overall toll since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, to 55,959 dead and 131,242 injured.

Among those killed was Captain Mohammad Nasser Ghorab of the Gaza Civil Defence. According to a Civil Defence statement, Ghorab died after Israeli forces directly targeted his home in the Nuseirat refugee camp. He had served in the Civil Defence since 2005.

In a statement on Sunday, the Civil Defence said Ghorab had served since 2005, and his death brings the number of its members killed to 121 - around 14.3 percent of its workforce. It condemned the targeting of its personnel, emphasising that all staff serve on emergency deployment and execute humanitarian missions.

"All of our workers are on standby for emergency response," the statement said, "and they are summoned when needed to carry out humanitarian duties".

Medical sources said that 36 of those who died were killed since dawn on Sunday including seven Palestinians who were waiting for aid distribution.

A source at Nasser Hospital added that six Palestinians were killed near an aid distribution point northwest of Rafah in southern Gaza. An Israeli drone strike on a tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, killed two and wounded others.

Additionally, Palestinian sources say Israeli artillery shelling struck the Shuja’iyya area in eastern Gaza City, as well as northern and southern Khan Younis.