GAZA CITY—The Israeli military bombarded Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday with airstrikes and artillery, killing at least 80 since dawn.
In northern Gaza, at least four schools that shelter hundreds of families were bombed, in addition to homes and other civilian areas. In Deir al-Balah, the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital complex was also struck.
One of the worst attacks came when Israeli warplanes bombed al-Baqa, a seafront cafe, reportedly killing more than 30. Perched on the water and popular for its internet access, the cafe was frequented by families as well as journalists. Among those killed was Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Ismail Abu Hatab. Another journalist, Bayan Abu Sultan, was injured.
Maher Banat was an eyewitness who arrived on the scene soon after the strike. “I was nearby, and I heard the bombing. We thought maybe they hit a tent or something else. We were shocked to find a calamity, a massacre,” he told Drop Site. “This place, Baqa cafe, is known for entertainment only, it’s on the sea. People come and sit and talk….someone wants to come and relax. It’s not a place for any military operations or the resistance, as you can see. This was a criminal act.”
The outdoor cafe became a scene of carnage: all broken concrete and shredded wood, bodies strewn on the ground, plastic chairs torn apart, and blood soaked on the floor. A large crater in the ground in the cafe showed the missile impact. At al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, fresh corpses in body bags were lined up outside.