Israeli airstrike kills 18 in Palestinian refugee camp: report

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Dec. 21 (Israel Defense Forces/Reuters)

An Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip has killed at least 18 people, the BBC is reporting, citing Palestinian media.

The development comes as the Palestinian Ministry of Affairs is accusing Israel's military of escalating their campaign against Hamas following the approval of a U.N. Security Council resolution Friday calling for "urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities" in the Gaza Strip.

"The escalation of the occupation's aggression [is happening] across all regions of Gaza, from its north to its south, with the complete destruction of residential areas and the targeting of all human life elements," the Palestinian Ministry of Affairs wrote in a statement on X. "This aggression has taken place in areas such as Jabalia, Shuja'iyya, Sheikh Radwan, Tuffah, and others, as happened today in Deir al-Balah and continues in Khan Younis and Rafah."

Hamas has continued to reject offers from Israel of a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages.