Israeli Strikes Kill 85 in Gaza as Global Criticism Grows/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At least 85 Palestinians were killed in new Israeli airstrikes, escalating global condemnation of Israel’s military campaign. Civilian targets, including shelters and homes, were struck as calls for sanctions grew. Critics, including Israeli politicians, now question the war’s direction.
Gaza Crisis and Global Response Quick Looks
- At least 85 killed in latest Israeli airstrikes, Gaza health officials say.
- Targets included family homes and a shelter inside a school.
- Over 300 Palestinians killed since Israel’s renewed offensive began.
- Israel claims its goal is to dismantle Hamas and recover hostages.
- Humanitarian aid remains extremely limited despite partial reopening.
- Canada, UK, and France threaten sanctions over Israeli actions.
- U.N. warns Gaza aid delivery is far below needed levels.
- Israeli opposition figure Yair Golan criticizes military tactics and civilian deaths.
- Netanyahu rejects criticism, calling it dangerous and antisemitic.
- Over 53,000 Palestinians have died since the war began, local officials report.
Deep Look: Israeli Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Gaza as Calls for Accountability Grow
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip, May 20, 2025 — A wave of deadly Israeli airstrikes killed at least 85 people in Gaza overnight and into Tuesday, local Palestinian health officials said, as international condemnation against Israel’s military campaign mounted. Among the targets were a family home, a school shelter, and densely populated residential areas.
The latest round of attacks comes as Israel ramps up a renewed military offensive it claims is aimed at eliminating Hamas and recovering the 58 remaining hostages taken during the group’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
More than 300 Palestinians have died since this new phase of the war began, and over 53,000 since the conflict erupted, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its tallies, but it reports that most casualties are women and children.
Civilian Casualties Mount as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Strikes on Tuesday hit northern Gaza, including a school converted into a shelter, killing 22 people, over half of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry. Additional strikes killed 13 people in Deir al-Balah, 15 in Nuseirat, and 10 in Khan Younis, according to local hospitals.
While the Israeli military has not commented on these specific strikes, it maintains that it targets only militants and that Hamas operates from civilian areas, placing noncombatants at risk.
Israel also authorized limited aid entry into Gaza after 2.5 months of blockade, following pressure from global allies. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said allies could not justify support “while images of hunger” from Gaza circulated globally.
Allies Warn of Sanctions, Netanyahu Defiant
The backlash is spreading. Governments in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France issued a joint warning Monday, threatening “concrete actions,” including sanctions, over what they described as “egregious” and “blind” military actions in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned Israel’s conduct on France Inter radio, saying Gaza had become a “place of death” and that “this must stop.”
Still, Netanyahu rejected the criticism, accusing allies of giving Hamas a “huge prize” and emboldening future violence by undermining Israel’s right to self-defense.
U.N. Says Aid Deliveries Critically Inadequate
Despite approvals for 100 trucks of aid, only five had crossed into Gaza by Tuesday, said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The agency described the aid flow as a “drop in the ocean” compared to the 600 daily truckloads that entered Gaza during earlier ceasefires.
The reason for the current delay in aid distribution remains unclear.
Rare Criticism from Within Israel
In a highly unusual move, Yair Golan, a retired general and head of the opposition Democrats party, harshly criticized Israel’s war conduct, warning it is turning the country into an “outcast among nations.”
“A sane country doesn’t kill babies as a hobby,” Golan said during a radio interview. He also decried the government’s apparent strategy of population displacement in Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu blasted Golan’s comments, calling them “wild incitement” and accusing him of echoing antisemitic blood libels.
Golan, who rejoined military service during Hamas’ October 2023 attack, previously drew controversy in 2016 for comparing the national atmosphere in Israel to Nazi Germany.
The War’s Origin and Ongoing Devastation
The Gaza war erupted after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. Since then, Israel has waged an aggressive campaign across the enclave, seeking to dismantle Hamas and retrieve captives.
The Israeli government has said it intends to maintain control of Gaza territory, forcibly displace residents, and manage the flow of aid. Critics argue this approach amounts to collective punishment and a violation of international law.
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