At least 17 Palestinians were martyred and dozens wounded on Saturday following heavy Israeli artillery shelling and gunfire targeting multiple areas in the southern Gaza Strip, specifically in the governorates of Khan Younis and Rafah, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

WAFA reported that 12 Palestinians, including four members of the same family, were martyred and more than 40 others injured after Israeli forces struck tents sheltering displaced civilians west of Khan Younis. In a separate incident, five Palestinians were martyred and others wounded by Israeli gunfire near a food distribution center west of Rafah.

The escalation comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in southern Gaza, where continued Israeli military operations have severely restricted access to basic necessities and emergency assistance.