GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA and Agencies):  Palestinian Islamic Jihad group and Israel agreed to an Egyptian brokered cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, after three days of intense Israeli bombing of civilian areas in Gaza, Palestine, which killed 44 Palestinians including 15 children. 

Israeli bombing flattened residential buildings in Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it has been targeting members of the Islamic Jihad, including the group’s senior commanders, but according to Palestinian officials, almost half of the 44 people who died have been civilians.

In one of the Israeli air raids, it targeted a group of children who were in Fallujah cemetery in northern Gaza.

All five – most from same family- were killed, bodies tattered.

Jamil Ihab Najim , 13
Hamed Haider Najim, 16
Mohammed Salah Nijem, 17
Jamil Najm-Al Deen Nijem, 4
Unidentified

Among the children who were killed in the Israeli air strikes, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health:
– 3 brothers from Al-Nabhin family
– 4 siblings from Al -Nejm family
– 2 brothers from Al-Nirb family

Some of the children killed during Israel’s onslaught on Gaza since Friday:
-Alaa Qaddoum, 5yo
-Ahmad Alnairab, 11yo
-Momen Alnairab, 5yo
-Mohammed Hassouna, 14yo,
– Khalil Abu Hamads, 17yo.
-Hazem Salem, 12yo

Israeli emergency services said three people in Israel were wounded by shrapnel, while 31 others were lightly hurt by missiles fired from Gaza in retaliation to Israeli bombing.

 Palestinians inspect damage caused by an Israeli air strike demolishing residential building in Sheikh Acleyn neighborhood in western side of Gaza City, Gaza on August 6, 2022.
( Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency )

The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanez, said Israel’s air raids on the besieged Gaza Strip “not only are illegal but irresponsible”, reported Al-Jazeera.

The chairman of the African Union Commission on Sunday condemned Israel’s continued airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

“The targeting of civilians and the continued illegal occupation by Israeli security forces of the occupied territories, are in stark violation of international law, and complicate the search for a just and lasting solution,” Moussa Faki Mahamat said, according to a statement from the commission.

“The chairperson reaffirms the unwavering support of the African Union with the Palestinian people in their legitimate quest for an independent and sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” added the press release.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the military offensive in Gaza has “achieved its goals.”

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday citing what the army said that there was an “imminent threat of attacks” by the Islamic Jihad group.

At least 44 Palestinians have been killed, including 15 children and four women, and over 310 others injured in the Israeli offensive, according to the Health Ministry

The attacks came amid rising tensions across Palestinian territories following the detention of Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad, in an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin early this week.

Last year, Egypt managed to broker a ceasefire to end 11 days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, in which more than 200 Palestinians were killed and thousands injured. Thirteen Israelis were also killed by Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza during the course of the conflict.

[Photo: Some of the Palestinian children killed by three days of Israeli bombing of civilian areas in Gaza Strip. Photo by Imemc.org]