Israeli airstrike on Gaza kills renowned Palestinian scientist Sufyan Tayeh and family

Esteemed scientist Sufyan Tayeh and his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza, the Palestinian higher education ministry said Saturday.

The strike, which comes amid Israel's intense bombardment of the Palestinian territory, took place in Al-Faluja, some 30km northeast of Gaza City.

Tayeh, who was president of the Islamic University of Gaza, was renowned for his contributions in the fields of physics and applied mathematics. 

His work had earned him international recognition, including the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Young Arab Scientists and the UNESCO Chair for Physical, Astrophysical and Space Sciences in Palestine.

The ministry did not specify how many members of Tayeh's family were killed.

Tayeh is one of many prominent Palestinian figures, including academics, who have been killed in Israel's onslaught on Gaza.

The war has claimed the lives of over 183 Palestinian educators since 7 October, according to Human Rights Watch.

After a weeklong truce ended on Friday, Israel resumed its onslaught on Gaza with fervour - with more than 700 Palestinians killed in the enclave in 24 hours, the territory's Government Media Office said.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed more than 15,200 Palestinians, and injured over 40,000 since 7 October.