Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 45, including mothers and babies
Scores of people in Gaza were reportedly killed in airstrikes as the resumption of Israel's ground and air offensive left a trail of destruction.
At least 45 people were killed by airstrikes across the Gaza Strip overnight Thursday as Israel's resumption of its ground and air offensive left a trail of destruction observed by an NBC News team on the ground.
More than 30 of those killed in the strikes by the Israel Defense Forces were brought to the city's European Hospital, while 13 were taken to Nasser Hospital, officials there told NBC News. One family had 12 members killed, including several children.
The strikes hit multiple homes in the middle of the night, with children killed as they slept, The Associated Press reported.
Sirens that had become increasingly rare during the ceasefire rang out in a number of areas in central Israel on Thursday, after projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip, the IDF said. NBC News' team in central Israel reporting heard blasts around the same time.
In the hours before the strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz suggested that civilians in the enclave would "pay the full price" if hostages who remain held by Hamas were not returned.
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