Israel Intensifies Gaza Offensive, Killing Over 50 Civilians in Airstrikes

Israeli forces escalated their military campaign in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 55 Palestinians in a series of airstrikes and ground assaults, according to Gaza's Civil Defense and local health officials. The dead include women and children, with the highest single incident reported at a warehouse in eastern Gaza City that was sheltering dozens of displaced families. Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua and AFP that 22 people died in that strike alone, and rescue teams continue to search for bodies beneath the rubble.

Additional fatalities were reported in the Al-Sahaba and Shuja'iyya neighborhoods, the Shati and Nuseirat refugee camps, and in Khan Younis, where eight people were shot while seeking food near an aid distribution center. Local eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation, with residential buildings destroyed and families left to sleep outdoors after fleeing advancing Israeli tanks. AFP footage showed grieving relatives mourning over the bodies of children and adults wrapped in shrouds.

The Israeli military has not immediately commented on the specific strikes, but public broadcaster Kan reported that the army has expanded its operations in northern Gaza City, potentially splitting the enclave and intensifying pressure on remaining residents. The United Nations estimates that around one million people lived in Gaza City and its surroundings before the latest offensive, with hundreds of thousands now displaced and facing severe shortages of food, water, and shelter.

Humanitarian agencies and local officials warn that repeated strikes on so-called safe zones and aid centers have made it nearly impossible for civilians to find refuge. The United Nations and the Gaza Health Ministry report that the vast majority of those killed in the nearly two-year conflict have been civilians, with the death toll now exceeding 65,000 according to health authorities in the Hamas-run territory. Media access remains heavily restricted, making independent verification of casualty figures and the full extent of the destruction difficult.

The latest surge in violence comes as international diplomatic efforts to recognize a Palestinian state gain momentum, with several European countries and others voicing support at the United Nations. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood, and the military campaign continues unabated. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with local hospitals overwhelmed and aid deliveries hampered by ongoing hostilities and border closures.

Calls for a ceasefire and international intervention have intensified, but there is little sign of a halt to the fighting. The Israeli government maintains that its operations target Hamas militants, while Palestinian officials and humanitarian groups accuse Israel of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas. The situation remains volatile, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict as the offensive expands.