Five more Palestinian children were killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike on a residential area in Gaza City, leaving at least eight family members trapped under the rubble. The attack is part of Israel’s intensified military operations in the besieged Gaza Strip, following the breakdown of the ceasefire earlier this week. Since the renewed assault began, nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza Health Ministry reports.
The Gaza Health Ministry further revealed that more than 49,600 Palestinians have died in the ongoing conflict, with an additional 112,950 wounded. The destruction of vital infrastructure has compounded the suffering of Gaza’s two million residents, as humanitarian aid and basic services are being severely restricted.
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In a devastating blow to healthcare, Israel bombed the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza’s only specialized cancer treatment center, on Friday. The hospital’s destruction has sparked international outrage, with medical professionals expressing dismay over the targeting of a critical facility. Dr. Zaki Al-Zaqzouq, head of oncology at the hospital, said, “I cannot fathom what could be gained from bombing a hospital that served as a lifeline for so many patients.”
Amid the escalating violence, food insecurity and limited medical supplies are worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, many of them children, as airstrikes continue to cause widespread devastation.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has vowed to intensify military operations until Hamas releases the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, rockets fired from Gaza triggered sirens across Israeli cities on Friday, signaling further escalation.
