Rushdi Abu Alouf, the Gaza correspondent for Reuters, reported that air strikes have hit homes and tents sheltering displaced families in the Gaza Strip. Health officials and rescuers say that at least 114 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes since dawn. In one particularly devastating attack in Khan Younis, 56 people, including women and children, were killed when homes and tents were bombed overnight. The Israeli military stated that they targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in southern Gaza.
The situation in Gaza has been described as dire, with ongoing bombardment by Israeli forces ahead of a planned expansion of their ground offensive. This comes as US President Donald Trump visits the region and negotiations for a new ceasefire between Hamas and Israel continue. The streets of Khan Younis are filled with funeral processions and grieving families, with the local hospital overwhelmed with bodies. The destruction and loss of life have become a tragic reality for many residents.
Videos and eyewitness accounts from the area paint a devastating picture of the impact of the air strikes, with families torn apart and entire neighborhoods destroyed. The Civil Defence agency reported numerous casualties from the strikes, including the tragic loss of children and innocent civilians. The situation is further compounded by the lack of aid and supplies reaching Gaza due to the ongoing blockade imposed by Israel.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has requested Israel to allow the UN and other organizations to resume deliveries to prevent a humanitarian crisis. However, aid agencies have expressed concerns over a new aid distribution plan, fearing it may not adhere to fundamental humanitarian principles. The international community continues to monitor the situation in Gaza closely, as the civilian population bears the brunt of the escalating violence. Rushdi Abu Alouf dijo que quería presionar a Hamas para liberar a sus 58 rehenes restantes, hasta 23 de los cuales se cree que están vivos.
Israel lanzó una campaña militar para destruir a Hamas en respuesta al ataque transfronterizo del grupo el 7 de octubre de 2023, en el que murieron alrededor de 1,200 personas y 251 fueron tomadas como rehenes.
Al menos 53,010 personas han muerto en Gaza desde entonces, incluidas 2,876 desde que se reanudó la ofensiva israelí, según el ministerio de salud dirigido por Hamas en el territorio.