Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 52,000 After Israeli Strikes/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed at least 51 Palestinians, pushing the war’s total Palestinian death toll beyond 52,000. Israel resumed its offensive after ending a ceasefire in March. Humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to worsen amid widespread destruction and starvation.
Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 52,000 After Israeli Strikes: Quick Looks
- Israeli strikes killed at least 51 Palestinians within 24 hours.
- War’s Palestinian death toll now exceeds 52,243, officials report.
- Daily bombings resumed after Israel ended the truce on March 18.
- Gaza faces severe shortages of food, medicine, and aid supplies.
- Majority of deaths are women and children, Gaza Health Ministry says.
- Israel aims to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages.
- Hamas demands ceasefire, prisoner release, and Israeli withdrawal.
- Gaza’s infrastructure devastated, 90% of population displaced.
Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 52,000 After Israeli Strikes
Deep Look
Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 52,000 Following Renewed Israeli Strikes
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 51 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, Gaza health officials reported on Sunday, pushing the total Palestinian death toll from the 18-month-long Israel-Hamas conflict to 52,243.
Since ending its ceasefire with Hamas on March 18, Israel has resumed near-daily bombardments, sealing off Gaza’s two million residents from essential imports, including food and medical supplies. Ground operations have continued to expand, with Israeli forces now controlling roughly half of Gaza’s territory and encircling the southern city of Rafah.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the latest casualties, noting that the updated figures also included nearly 700 bodies recovered and documented from earlier strikes. Even after the official update, additional Israeli strikes claimed the lives of 23 more Palestinians.
Strikes Devastate Civilian Areas
Multiple Israeli strikes targeted residential areas. In the southern city of Khan Younis, eight people, including three children and two women, were killed when an airstrike struck a tent shelter, according to Nasser Hospital officials.
In Deir al-Balah, four people were killed in another strike, and a separate airstrike on a tent resulted in the deaths of four children and a man, reports from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital indicated. Additionally, a coffee shop near the Bureij refugee camp was struck, killing at least six civilians.
Eyewitnesses in Deir al-Balah described heart-wrenching scenes of mourning and devastation. “My son, my son, why did you go out, my son?” lamented Eyad Omar, who lost his child during one of the strikes.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply. Aid organizations warn that basic supplies are critically low, with thousands of children already suffering from malnutrition. Hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of wounded civilians amid shortages of medicines, fuel, and medical equipment.
The United Nations’ International Court of Justice has begun hearings on Israel’s obligations to ensure humanitarian aid to occupied territories. Israel disputes the court’s impartiality, arguing that sufficient aid was delivered during previous ceasefires and blaming Hamas for allegedly diverting resources.
Hostages and Political Stalemate
The conflict, which began with Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel, initially killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and led to the abduction of 251 hostages. Today, Hamas reportedly holds 59 hostages, with 24 believed to be alive.
Israel’s government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to continue military operations until all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled. Netanyahu has endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan proposing “voluntary emigration” of Gaza’s population, a move Palestinians and human rights groups denounce as a likely violation of international law.
Hamas has maintained it will only release remaining hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of Palestinian prisoners — terms Israel has so far rejected.
Massive Displacement and Destruction
Israel claims it has eliminated around 20,000 Hamas militants during its operations, though it has provided little verifiable evidence. Gaza’s Health Ministry states that the overwhelming majority of casualties are women and children, but does not distinguish between civilian and militant deaths.
The war has left Gaza largely in ruins. Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with countless families living in overcrowded tent camps or amid the rubble of destroyed homes.
The conflict shows no sign of ending, as both sides remain entrenched in their demands, prolonging Gaza’s humanitarian nightmare and leaving the international community searching for solutions.
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