67 killed in Gaza as Israeli forces strike cafe, fire on people seeking food

At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, including 30 in a café strike and 22 more as they sought food aid. Witnesses report devastation amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and violence

Cairo: Israeli forces killed at least 67 people in Gaza on Monday with airstrikes that left 30 dead at a seaside café and gunfire that killed 22 others as Palestinians tried to get desperately needed food aid, witnesses, hospital and health officials said.

One airstrike hit the Al-Baqa café in Gaza City when it was crowded with women and children, said Ali Abu Ateila, who was inside.

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“Without a warning, all of a sudden, a warplane hit the place, shaking it like an earthquake,” he said.

At least 30 people were killed and dozens were wounded, said Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministry’s emergency and ambulance service in northern Gaza. Awad said many of the wounded were in critical condition. Two other strikes on a Gaza City street killed 15 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties.

The café, one of the few businesses to continue operating during the 20-month war, was a gathering spot for residents seeking internet access and a place to charge their phones. Videos circulating on social media showed bloodied and disfigured bodies on the ground and the wounded being carried away in blankets.