At least 93 people were killed across the Gaza Strip on Friday following intense Israeli airstrikes, according to local hospitals and Gaza health authorities. The attacks targeted several locations, including residential areas near the Jabaliya refugee camp, the towns of Beit Lahiya, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis.
According to medical staff at Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital, 66 bodies were brought in after strikes reportedly hit residential blocks in the northern part of the enclave. An additional 16 bodies were received by Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, with more casualties expected as rescue operations continue under rubble and debris. Several neighborhoods were reportedly reduced to dust and ash, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes in a renewed wave of displacement.
Local officials described the strikes as “relentless and indiscriminate,” noting that the majority of victims were women, children, and elderly civilians. Videos shared by reporters and aid groups show chaotic scenes of paramedics pulling bloodied children from rubble and families screaming outside collapsed homes.
A Week of Violence Culminates in a Devastating Friday
Friday’s death toll adds to what has been one of the deadliest weeks since the start of the conflict. Over the past several days, sustained Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 130 people, according to data from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. The Friday escalation alone raises the total death toll to over 53,000 Palestinians, since the conflict erupted in October 2023, as per their official figures.
While Israel’s military has not issued a public statement confirming the latest strikes, it has previously stated that operations are aimed at “neutralizing Hamas infrastructure and leadership.” However, eyewitnesses and medical staff report that schools, mosques, markets, and civilian homes have all been hit—raising serious concerns from international human rights observers.
Trump’s Middle East Visit Yields No Progress on Ceasefire
The latest escalation came just as U.S. President Donald Trump concluded a Middle East tour that excluded a visit to Israel. During the final leg of his diplomatic trip in Abu Dhabi, President Trump was questioned about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza but offered little indication of a peace breakthrough.
“We’re looking at Gaza,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of people are starving. A lot of people are — there’s a lot of bad things going on.”
Human rights groups criticized the U.S. administration for failing to pressure Israel toward a ceasefire or secure humanitarian access to civilians trapped in Gaza. Expectations had been high that Trump’s regional diplomacy could reopen stalled aid corridors or initiate multilateral talks—but these hopes were dashed by Friday’s renewed bombing campaign.
Humanitarian Crisis Reaches Breaking Point
The Israeli blockade on Gaza, now entering its third month, has led to severe shortages of essential goods including food, fuel, clean water, and medicine. Aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and UNRWA report that hospitals are struggling to operate without fuel, while water treatment plants have ceased functioning altogether, leading to the outbreak of disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently stated that at least 57 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration since the start of the blockade on March 2, 2025. Over 70,000 children under age five are currently at risk of acute malnutrition, prompting WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to call the situation “a ticking time bomb for public health.”
UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths described the conditions in Gaza as “unbearable,” accusing Israel of obstructing aid in violation of international humanitarian law. In response, Israel claims the blockade is a necessary measure to force Hamas to release hostages still in its custody.
Netanyahu Vows to Escalate Gaza Offensive
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel would intensify military operations in Gaza, aiming to achieve what he called the “complete dismantling of Hamas.”
Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu declared that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were “days away” from launching a full-scale ground offensive to “enter Gaza with great strength” and “complete the mission of destroying Hamas.” The upcoming offensive—codenamed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots”—would reportedly involve heavy artillery, mechanized infantry, and possible incursions into southern Gaza, where displaced civilians are concentrated.
In support of the strategy, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer stated that military pressure was necessary to secure the release of 57 hostages still held by Hamas, out of the 251 initially taken during the group’s surprise attack on October 7, 2023. Mencer confirmed that 22 of those 57 hostages are believed to be alive, though their conditions are unknown.
Conflict Background: From Hostage Crisis to Full-Scale War
The current war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants carried out a brutal cross-border attack in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking hundreds hostage. The attack prompted Israel to launch a sweeping military campaign across the Gaza Strip, aimed at eliminating Hamas and preventing future attacks.
In response, Israel has conducted thousands of airstrikes, destroying key infrastructure, flattening neighborhoods, and displacing over 1.8 million people—nearly 80% of Gaza’s total population, according to UN estimates.
The Israeli military confirms that 856 of its soldiers have died in the ongoing campaign, making it one of the costliest wars in Israel’s recent history.
International Outcry and Uneven Aid Response
Several international bodies and world leaders have condemned the violence. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for “an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire,” warning that Gaza was on the verge of “irreversible collapse.”
Meanwhile, the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S.-backed initiative—claims it has secured preliminary agreements with Israeli officials to begin aid deliveries before the end of the month. Critics argue that the initiative lacks neutral oversight and fails to meet the urgent demands of the crisis.
Pope Leo XIV issued a rare diplomatic statement urging both sides to cease hostilities, stating: “No war should eclipse our shared duty to protect human life. Let Gaza be a lesson—not a tragedy forgotten.”
Rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented widespread devastation and potential war crimes committed by both Israeli forces and Hamas. These findings are being reviewed by international courts, although political will for action remains uncertain.
A Worsening Crisis with No End in Sight
As the situation in Gaza grows ever more desperate, the international community is under mounting pressure to intervene. With more than 53,000 Palestinians dead, widespread starvation, and mounting casualties from ongoing strikes, human rights defenders warn of a looming genocide unless urgent steps are taken.
For now, the people of Gaza continue to bear the brunt of a war that has turned homes into rubble, hospitals into morgues, and neighborhoods into war zones—with no clear end in sight.
The Information is Collected from MSN and Sky News.
