21 Palestinians killed Wednesday in Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip: civil defense

At least 21 Palestinians, including a paramedic, were killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense, said the Israeli army had been carrying out artillery and airstrikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip since dawn, targeting tents sheltering displaced people and residential buildings.

In the latest attack, an Israeli drone struck a tent housing displaced people in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, killing three, including two women and a paramedic, according to Basal.

He added that 14 people, including three children and five women, were killed and several others wounded in artillery shelling on the outskirts of the Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods east of Gaza City. Some of the wounded were taken to Al-Shifa Medical Complex.

Earlier, four people, including a child, were killed in Israeli artillery shelling that targeted tents sheltering displaced people in the Qizan Rashwan area south of Khan Younis. The victims were taken to Nasser Medical Complex in the city.

Also on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that militants opened fire on its troops during routine operations near the northern Gaza border, severely injuring an Israeli reserve officer.

Upon identifying the fire, IDF armored units and IAF aircraft conducted precise strikes in the area. The IDF views this attack as a blatant violation of the current ceasefire agreement, it said.

In response, Hamas dismissed the Israeli claim as a "flimsy pretext" to justify continued killings in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli escalation was "an attempt to impose a permanent reality of abuse and terrorism in Gaza", in flagrant disregard for the terms of the ceasefire agreement and existing understandings, Hamas said, calling for immediate international pressure to stop Israel's violations.

Since a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect on October 10, 2025, Israel has killed 556 Palestinians and wounded 1,500 others, according to Gaza-based health authorities on Wednesday.

21 Palestinians killed Wednesday in Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip: civil defense

21 Palestinians killed Wednesday in Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip: civil defense

21 Palestinians killed Wednesday in Israeli attacks across Gaza Strip: civil defense

Polish citizens are feeling the squeeze of surging energy costs, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to roil the international energy market,

In Poland, rising fuel prices are gradually making their way into everyday life and the real economy. Many residents said higher energy costs are taking a heavy toll.

"I do think about this issue more and try to reduce my fuel consumption. Overall, everything happening right now is unsettling," said Pawel, a Warsaw resident.

"I really feel it. Prices have gone up a lot. We're trying to cope and can manage for now. Taxi fares haven't increased yet, but it's definitely getting harder," said Wiktor, another resident.

"Of course it has affected us. Because fuel prices have gone up, everything else is more expensive and costs more now," said Anita, another local resident.

Meanwhile, those working in the transport and service sectors said rising oil prices are directly impacting their businesses.

"The courier industry, like most taxi drivers, is soon going to face closure and be forced out of business. I used to drive international long-distance buses, and honestly, some people in that sector are also thinking about quitting," said Michal, another Warsaw resident.

Lukasz Goczek, a professor from the Department of Macroeconomics and Theory of Foreign Trade at the University of Warsaw, said the continued shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor, could leave global energy prices elevated for a long time, heavily impacting the world economy.

"Iran has this huge leverage. It's got the whole world in a chokehold because 20 percent of oil that's transported in the world goes through the Strait. It obviously means that the price of energy is going to increase. We see it at the petrol stations," said Goczek.

Goczek also noted that U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran have dealt a serious blow to the international order.

"I think that's pretty much, by now, the international law. If it's not that, it's definitely very, very illegal. There wasn't any reason for war. It just straightforwardly began without any warning. So it was much of a surprise. We need the international order to have peace, to prosper, to have trade," said Goczek.

Rising energy costs squeeze Polish households, businesses