At least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling across the Gaza Strip since early Friday, the first day of Eid al-Adha, according to eyewitnesses and medical sources cited by Anadolu Agency.

Despite the ongoing military campaign and widespread destruction, Palestinians in the besieged territory gathered for Eid prayers among the rubble of their destroyed homes and mosques, in a scene reflecting the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Residents have described the situation as a “genocidal campaign and deliberate starvation” imposed by Israel.

In the southern part of the strip, medical sources reported that three Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in a drone strike that targeted a phone-charging point near tents housing displaced families west of Khan Younis.

Eyewitnesses also confirmed that Israeli warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes on Friday morning, coinciding with intense artillery shelling on different areas of the city.

Israel’s military operations in Gaza, ongoing for several months, have resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and large-scale destruction, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian conditions in the enclave.