Israeli airstrikes leave 65 dead in Gaza, targeting civilians, journalists, and hospitals amid renewed conflict
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 65 people in Gaza within 24 hours, including women, children, and two journalists, according to the Palestinian health authority. The bombardment comes nearly a week after Israel broke a ceasefire with Hamas, launching a new wave of attacks that have forced thousands of civilians to flee.
The latest escalation began last Tuesday, when Israeli forces initiated a massive offensive, reportedly killing around 700 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The renewed assault has shattered two months of relative calm, leaving entire neighborhoods in ruins.
Among those killed was Hossam Shabat, a journalist for Al Jazeera Mubasher, whose car was targeted in Beit Lahiya. Earlier that day, Mohammad Mansour, a reporter for Palestine Today, died in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Khan Younis. Witnesses say his wife and son were also killed in the attack.
The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate reports that at least 208 journalists and media workers have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the war began in October 2023, making this one of the deadliest conflicts for press freedom.
In another strike on Monday, Israeli forces bombed a school in Nuseirat refugee camp, where displaced Palestinians had been sheltering. The attack killed at least four people, including a child, and injured 18 others, according to al-Awda Hospital.
The Israeli military has not commented on the latest airstrikes but claims it only targets militants and takes precautions to avoid civilian casualties.
In southern Gaza, Israeli forces hit Nasser Hospital, the region’s largest medical facility, killing five people, including Hamas political leader Ismail Barhoum. The Israeli military stated that extensive intelligence confirmed his location, and they used “precise munitions” to minimize civilian harm. Another Hamas leader, Salah al-Bardawil, was also killed in an earlier airstrike on Khan Younis.
This marks the second Israeli strike on a hospital in three days. On Friday, Israeli forces destroyed Gaza’s only cancer treatment hospital, the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which had already sustained severe damage from previous bombings.
Doctors inside Nasser Hospital described chaotic scenes as the explosion rocked the building. Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan, a volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), recalled: “There was so much smoke and fire. We knew we’d be receiving casualties, but we never expected our own colleagues to be among them.”
Steve Cutts, the chief executive of MAP, condemned the attack, stating: “Nowhere is safe in Gaza.”
As the airstrikes continue, Egypt has proposed a new ceasefire deal in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict. The proposal includes the release of five Israeli hostages, including an American-Israeli, in exchange for increased humanitarian aid and a temporary pause in fighting. However, Israel has demanded 11 hostages, complicating negotiations.
Since the war began in October 2023, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 50,000, with over 113,000 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war erupted after a Hamas-led attack on Israel, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken.
As international pressure mounts, peace remains elusive while civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.
