A relentless Israeli military bombardment across the Gaza Strip has killed more than 100 Palestinians in a single day, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with many of the victims being women and children. The strikes, part of Israel’s ongoing offensive against Hamas, come amid international calls for a ceasefire and intensifying humanitarian alarm over the civilian toll.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that air raids targeted residential areas across central and southern Gaza, including Rafah, Khan Younis, and al-Maghazi. Dozens of homes were destroyed, leaving entire families buried beneath rubble. Emergency workers continued to dig through the debris late into the night, as the death toll was expected to rise.
Al Jazeera’s correspondents on the ground described scenes of “utter devastation” in civilian neighborhoods, with hospitals overwhelmed and morgues filled beyond capacity. In Rafah, a strike on a residential building reportedly killed an entire extended family of 17 people, including nine children.
“We’re pulling bodies out of the rubble with our bare hands,” said a local paramedic. “We don’t have enough stretchers, ambulances, or body bags. This is a massacre.”
The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out airstrikes overnight and into Sunday morning, claiming to have targeted Hamas command centers, weapons storage facilities, and tunnels. However, Palestinian officials insist the strikes hit densely populated civilian zones far from military targets.
In a statement, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation was “a necessary response to Hamas rocket fire” and accused the group of using civilians as human shields. “We regret any civilian casualties but hold Hamas fully responsible for operating from within populated areas,” the IDF said.
The strikes follow the collapse of ceasefire talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, with both Israel and Hamas blaming each other for the failure to reach a deal. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was “deeply concerned” by the escalating violence and urged both parties to return to negotiations.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the total death toll from the Israeli offensive, which began in October 2023, has now exceeded 53,000, with over 60% of the victims being women and children. Israel says it is committed to dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure, but human rights groups have condemned the operation as disproportionate and in violation of international humanitarian law.
“The killing of civilians, especially children, on this scale is unconscionable,” said Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International. “There must be an independent investigation into possible war crimes.”
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has rapidly deteriorated, with the United Nations warning of a full-scale collapse of essential services. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 80% of Gaza’s population is now displaced, with many lacking access to food, water, or medical care.
Dr. Youssef Abu Rish, head of Gaza’s largest hospital, said the health system is on the verge of total failure. “We have no more fuel, no electricity, no medicine. We are treating patients on the floor with candlelight,” he said.
The bombardment has sparked global protests, with tens of thousands demonstrating in major cities including London, Paris, Istanbul, and New York, demanding an end to Israeli attacks and stronger international intervention.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue military operations until Hamas is “completely neutralized,” a stance that appears to defy growing international pressure for de-escalation.
As the civilian death toll mounts, Palestinians in Gaza say they feel abandoned by the world. “We have no safe place left,” said a resident of Khan Younis. “We are being killed in our homes, on the roads, and in shelters. Where should we go?”
With no immediate signs of a ceasefire and diplomatic efforts faltering, Gaza remains under siege—its population caught in an unrelenting war, and its children among the latest victims of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
Source: Al Jazeera
