Israeli forces order evacuation of Jabalia ahead of strike, dozens killed in northern Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday night ordered residents of the Jabalia city and refugee camp, and other surrounding neighbourhoods in the central Gaza Strip, to immediately evacuate ahead of an Israeli strike, as per news reports.

The residents were instructed to relocate immediately to the shelter centers in Gaza City.

At least 50 people were killed in Israeli attacks on northern Gaza, including in Jabalia refugee camp, since the early hours of Wednesday, according to reports.

According to the IDF, the strike was aimed at an underground Hamas command and control center. The military accused Hamas of continuing to use hospitals in Gaza to conceal militant infrastructure.

Israeli state broadcaster Kan and other media outlets reported that the strike targeted Hamas figure Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza in October last year. It remained unclear whether Mohammed Sinwar was among the casualties.

Earlier to the strike, Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, announced that it had launched rocket attacks on Israeli cities in response to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip.

The rocket attack came hours after intensive Israeli airstrikes targeted the vicinity of the Gaza European Hospital, which Palestinian sources said resulted in widespread destruction and heavy human losses. 

(With inputs from syndicated feed)