Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes, Dozens Killed Including Children/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City killed at least 32 people Saturday, including 12 children, according to hospital officials. Israel says the bombardment targets Hamas strongholds but aid groups warn of worsening famine and displacement. The escalation comes as negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release remain stalled.
Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes: Quick Looks
- 32 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes, including 12 children.
- High-rise buildings destroyed after Israel accused Hamas of using them.
- A strike killed football player Mohammed Ramez Sultan and 14 relatives.
- Families unable to evacuate face famine, lack of shelter, and poverty.
- Israel urged Gaza residents to evacuate south immediately.
- UN estimates 100,000 displaced in a month; Israel claims 250,000.
- 420 deaths from malnutrition recorded, including 145 children.
- Negotiations endangered after Israel struck Hamas leaders in Qatar.
- 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with families pleading for restraint.
- Gaza Health Ministry reports 64,803 Palestinians killed since October 2023.
Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes, Dozens Killed Including Children
Deep Look
Israeli forces intensified their assault on Gaza City Saturday, unleashing a wave of airstrikes that killed at least 32 Palestinians, including 12 children, according to medical officials at Shifa Hospital. The escalation comes amid growing international concern over famine, displacement, and the broader humanitarian crisis inside the enclave.
Families Wiped Out in Overnight Strikes
One of the deadliest attacks struck a home in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, killing 10 members of one family, including a mother and three children, officials said. The Palestinian Football Association confirmed that Mohammed Ramez Sultan, a player for Al-Helal Sporting Club, was among the dead, along with 14 of his relatives.
Eyewitness images captured towering smoke plumes following strikes on residential blocks and high-rises that Israel said were being used by Hamas for surveillance operations.
Israel’s military said Saturday it destroyed another high-rise building used by Hamas, while reiterating calls for civilians to evacuate Gaza City.
Calls to Evacuate Amid Dire Conditions
The Israeli army urged remaining Palestinians to flee south to what it calls a “humanitarian zone.” Army spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed that more than 250,000 people have already left northern Gaza since mid-August.
The United Nations, however, places the number closer to 100,000 displaced, warning that evacuation orders will only intensify suffering. Southern Gaza shelters are overcrowded, aid is scarce, and transportation costs are prohibitive for many families.
The UN shelter initiative reported that more than 86,000 tents and supplies remain stalled outside Gaza awaiting Israeli clearance.
Rising Hunger and Famine Deaths
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported seven additional deaths from malnutrition-related causes in the last 24 hours, raising the toll to 420 hunger deaths, including 145 children. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that famine is spreading, fueled by restrictions on aid entry and relentless bombardment.
Wider Regional Fallout
The bombardment followed Israel’s controversial strike earlier this week in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders. That attack angered key Gulf states, jeopardized fragile ceasefire negotiations, and further complicated international efforts to secure the release of hostages.
Families of the 48 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza urged Israel to pause military operations. Roughly 20 of those hostages are thought to be alive.
Mounting Death Toll
Since the war began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel—which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken—Israel’s retaliatory offensive has left at least 64,803 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. About half of those killed are women and children, though the ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The devastation has displaced 90% of Gaza’s population, with entire neighborhoods and cities reduced to rubble.
A Humanitarian and Political Crossroads
Israel insists its Gaza offensive is necessary to eliminate Hamas, but international voices—including the UN, aid organizations, and some governments—warn that the toll on civilians risks inflaming regional instability.
For now, Gaza City remains under heavy bombardment, its residents caught between Israeli evacuation orders, the impossibility of safe refuge, and the looming threat of starvation.
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