Israeli Strikes Kill 36 in Gaza as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes killed at least 36 Palestinians in Gaza on Monday despite a newly announced daily pause in fighting. Aid efforts have slightly expanded, yet hunger and civilian casualties continue to escalate. Global outcry intensifies amid growing pressure on Israel over its wartime conduct.
Gaza Crisis Deepens as Israel Eases Restrictions – Quick Looks
- At least 36 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes Monday
- Among the dead: newborn baby delivered after mother killed
- Israeli military initiates 10-hour daily pause in 3 areas
- Aid restrictions loosened, but agencies warn it’s insufficient
- Strikes continue outside pause window, raising questions
- U.S.-backed Gaza aid network hit by fresh casualties
- Most of Gaza’s population now reliant on humanitarian aid
- Over 59,800 Palestinians killed since Israel’s October offensive
Israeli Strikes Kill 36 in Gaza as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Deep Look
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — At least 36 Palestinians were killed in fresh Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Monday, according to local health officials, intensifying global concerns over a worsening humanitarian crisis in the territory. The strikes came just one day after Israel announced a partial easing of aid restrictions, including daily 10-hour pauses in fighting in several densely populated areas.
The Israeli military launched airstrikes outside of the declared 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ceasefire window, targeting locations in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis. While military operations are expected to continue outside the temporary pauses, the timing and scale of the attacks have fueled criticism over the effectiveness and sincerity of Israel’s humanitarian commitments.
One of the most tragic casualties was a newborn baby, delivered via emergency surgery after his mother, who was seven months pregnant, was killed in a strike. The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that the child and 11 others were killed in the Muwasi area during an airstrike that hit a residential home.
Additional strikes targeted a two-story building in the western Japanese neighborhood of Khan Younis, killing 11 people, including many women and children. Another five individuals died in separate incidents across the Gaza Strip, according to reports from local hospitals.
Though the Israeli military did not immediately respond to inquiries about most of the attacks, it denied knowledge of one specific strike during the declared pause in Gaza City that reportedly killed one person.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an acute level. Images of malnourished children have sparked international outrage, including condemnation from U.S. President Donald Trump, who called the visuals “terrible” during remarks on Sunday.
On Sunday, Israel said it would implement daily 10-hour “tactical pauses” in three zones—Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi—to allow safer aid distribution. It also approved continued airdrops of food and medical supplies. But humanitarian agencies stress that these limited measures fall far short of addressing the growing scale of hunger and deprivation.
The World Health Organization reported that Gaza saw at least 63 malnutrition-related deaths in July, including 24 children under five. Aid agencies also warn that the chaos surrounding distribution sites, exacerbated by lawlessness and Israeli military fire, is further hindering relief efforts.
The Awda Hospital in central Gaza said it received seven bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire near an aid distribution center operated by the U.S.- and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Twenty others were wounded in the same area. GHF has not issued a comment on the incident.
The conflict’s toll continues to climb. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 59,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory military campaign launched after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken. Israel says 50 of those hostages remain in Gaza, though more than half are believed to be dead.
Israel’s offensive has triggered unprecedented humanitarian needs. In March, it halted all aid into Gaza to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages. Although some restrictions were lifted in May, the flow of aid remains far below required levels, and the newly introduced aid delivery system—backed by the U.S.—has encountered violence and logistical failures.
Israel and its allies argue that Hamas siphons aid for military use, a claim that has not been substantiated with public evidence. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have pushed back, insisting the primary barrier to effective aid is restricted access and escalating insecurity.
As the conflict enters its 22nd month, calls for a sustainable ceasefire continue to mount. Ceasefire negotiations have stalled, with Israel and the U.S. pulling delegations from Qatar last week and exploring “alternative options” amid frustrations with Hamas’ position in the talks.
Meanwhile, life for Gaza’s more than two million residents remains defined by instability, hunger, and fear. The partial daily pauses offer little assurance in a region overwhelmed by destruction and dire need.
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