Israeli Strikes Kill 59 Palestinians in Gaza Escalation/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At least 59 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, including women and children. Strikes hit two schools sheltering displaced families as Israel prepares to escalate operations. Tensions rise further with new plans for Gaza control and hostage count controversies.
Gaza Crisis Quick Looks
- Israeli strikes kill at least 59 Palestinians, including 12 children and 18 women.
- Bombings hit two schools serving as shelters for displaced families.
- Israel readies large-scale escalation after approving a Gaza campaign plan.
- Gaza’s death toll exceeds 52,000, according to local health officials.
- Trump claims only 21 hostages remain alive; Israel disputes this.
- Mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar continue but face major roadblocks.
- Fighting with Yemen’s Houthis intensifies after missile lands near Israeli airport.
- Israel concerned about U.S.-Houthi deal excluding Israeli protection.
Deep Look: Israeli Strikes Intensify in Gaza, Killing Dozens as Full-Scale Campaign Looms
The war in Gaza entered a new and grimmer phase this week as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 59 Palestinians, including women and children, with attacks hitting shelters and urban centers across the enclave. The intensified military action marks a deadly prelude to Israel’s broader plan to expand its control of Gaza—an operation that is expected to follow President Donald Trump’s visit to the region later this month.
Among the most tragic strikes was one Tuesday night on a school in the Bureij refugee camp, which was sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians. According to officials at Al-Aqsa Hospital, 27 people died in the attack, including nine women and three children. This marked the fifth time the same school had been struck since the war began.
Hours later, a second strike on another school-turned-shelter in Gaza City killed 16 people, while further attacks across the region killed at least another 16. Fires and thick smoke filled the skies as paramedics rushed to retrieve bodies from rubble and burning buildings. Hospital staff reported scenes of horror and panic, as survivors searched for relatives in the dark.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest strikes. However, it has repeatedly stated that Hamas operates from within civilian infrastructure such as schools, making them targets. Israel has framed its military campaign as a necessary response to Hamas’s presence in densely populated areas.
The escalation follows a recent approval by Israel’s war cabinet of a more aggressive campaign that would include consolidating territorial control in Gaza, delegating aid distribution to private firms, and potentially displacing more Palestinians to southern regions of the territory. Tens of thousands of Israeli reservists are being mobilized in preparation.
Critics warn that such plans move dangerously close to a full-scale military occupation of Gaza—an outcome that raises numerous legal, ethical, and humanitarian questions. As it stands, Israel already controls about 50% of Gaza and is poised to push deeper, which could prolong the humanitarian crisis and complicate regional diplomacy.
The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 52,000 since the war began in October 2023, according to Palestinian health officials. Their figures include both civilians and militants, but the health ministry does not separate combatant and non-combatant deaths in its reports.
Trump Stuns with Hostage Remarks
During a press briefing on Tuesday, President Donald Trump shocked many Israelis by suggesting that only 21 of the 59 hostages still held by Hamas are alive. The statement was met with confusion and concern in Israel, where official numbers still estimate 24 surviving hostages.
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, admitted there was “serious concern” for three of the captives, though they are still officially listed as alive. The official said families of the missing have been notified of the concerns, but no new evidence has emerged to confirm their deaths.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which advocates on behalf of the captives’ relatives, demanded full transparency from the government. “If there is new information being kept from us, give it to us immediately,” the group stated. It also called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause military operations in Gaza until all hostages are freed, labeling it the nation’s “most urgent and important mission.”
Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas in March and has since intensified its bombardment and territorial push. That shift also led to a halt in humanitarian aid into Gaza, which includes food, water, and fuel—deepening what observers now call the worst humanitarian crisis of the 19-month war.
Despite ongoing mediation efforts from Qatar and Egypt, the two sides remain far apart. Israel has vowed to continue fighting until Hamas’s military and governance capacity is dismantled—a goal it has yet to achieve. Hamas, on the other hand, has conditioned any hostage release on a permanent ceasefire and a long-term political solution.
Houthi Escalation Adds Another Front
The Israel-Hamas conflict is also spilling into regional dynamics, particularly with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Earlier this week, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile that landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. In response, Israel launched airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, targeting the airport and other military installations.
The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israeli-linked targets and Red Sea shipping lanes in support of the Palestinian cause. Despite U.S.-led efforts to curb their actions, a recent agreement between the U.S. and the Houthis—to stop targeting American ships—appears to exclude Israel.
An Israeli official said the deal caught them off guard and expressed concern about its implications. “It leaves us vulnerable,” the source said, highlighting fears that the Houthis could intensify attacks on Israel while avoiding U.S. retaliation.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.