Palestinians dismayed after six killed in separate Israeli strikes on Gaza

Six Palestinians including two girls were killed in separate Israeli strikes near crowded camps for displaced people in Gaza City on Sunday, according to Palestinian Health officials.

In the western side of the Nuseirat refugee camp, a woman and two other girls were killed in Israeli artillery attacks on Sunday night.

The attacks coincided with another Israeli air strike in Gaza that hit a vehicle and killed three Palestinians including a paramedic.

Local witnesses described the chaotic scenes which unfolded when the strikes occurred.

"It was a moment of intense panic for people. Shells were falling on the tents and everyone was running in all directions. Men, women and children felt they had lost any sense of safety. We couldn't even find vehicles to take the wounded to hospitals," said Omar Abu Sweith, a displaced Palestinian.

The strikes came amid an escalating conflict across the Middle East which began after the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28, sparking a wave of retaliatory attacks and an exchange of missiles which has impacted several countries across the region.

Many Gazans say they had thought the situation had calmed down in recent times, but are dismayed by the latest round of Israeli attacks.

After suffering shortages of essential foods including meat, eggs and fruits, many Palestinians are concerned that the attacks on Sunday could signal a new wave of Israeli air strikes and restrictions against the Gaza Strip.

"For the first time, I feel this fear. We thought the war had calmed down, but unfortunately it feels like the war has been going on and the situation is becoming even harder," said Ikram Al-Ustaz, said another displaced Palestinian.

"The second missile fell while I call them, and I couldn't see anything. Then a third missile struck. I risked my life and went in to try to rescue them," said Hammad Shamali, a relative of the attack victims.

Israel has continued attacks in Gaza despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas taking effect in the enclave on Oct. 10, 2025.

More than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed and 171,000 others injured since the war in Gaza broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, according to figures released by Gaza's health authorities on Sunday.

Palestinians dismayed after six killed in separate Israeli strikes on Gaza

Soaring oil prices triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East have heightened U.S. inflation pressures, with analysts warning that households face hundreds of dollars in extra costs if crude climbs further.

Data released on Tuesday by the American Automobile Association (AAA) showed that the national average price of regular gasoline in the United States has risen 18.64 percent compared with Feb. 26. The AAA data also indicated that the national average price of diesel on Tuesday was up 22.85 percent from a week earlier.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at global ratings agency Moody's, warned that U.S. consumers are being threatened by a sharp rise in fuel prices. He said that if international oil prices climb by another 10 U.S. dollars per barrel, annual spending for an average U.S. household would increase by about 450 dollars.

Zandi noted that a surge in oil prices would intensify inflationary pressure in the United States, eroding consumers' purchasing power and weighing on consumption, economic growth, and employment.

Tensions sharply escalated across the Middle East on Feb 28 when the United States and Israel launched large-scale joint airstrikes on Iran. The Iranian side has responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the region, hitting many countries in the Gulf.

Escalating Middle East tensions drive up energy prices, squeezing US consumers