Israeli Forces Kill 84 Palestinians as Gaza City Assault Intensifies

Israeli forces intensified their assault on Gaza City this week, resulting in the deaths of at least 84 Palestinians over the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and corroborated by multiple international news agencies. The escalating violence comes as Israeli troops push into densely populated urban areas, with airstrikes and ground operations reported across several neighborhoods.

Mounting Civilian Toll and Humanitarian Crisis

Medical sources in Gaza reported that the fatalities included women and children, with hospitals receiving dozens of bodies following strikes on residential areas and makeshift shelters for displaced persons. Shifa Hospital, the region’s largest medical facility, confirmed the arrival of 25 bodies, including nine children and six women, after Israeli attacks on tents housing civilians. In addition, three deaths were reported in southern Gaza, highlighting the widespread reach of the military campaign. The Gaza Health Ministry, whose casualty figures are cited by the United Nations and independent experts as the most reliable available, stated that the total Palestinian death toll since October 2023 has now surpassed 64,200, with more than 161,500 injured. These figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, but the ministry notes that women and children constitute about half of those killed.

The ongoing offensive has further strained Gaza’s collapsing health infrastructure. Thousands of victims remain trapped under rubble, inaccessible to rescue teams due to continued bombardment. The closure of all border crossings since March has pushed the enclave’s 2.4 million residents to the brink of famine, with at least 370 people, including 131 children, having died from starvation since the war began. Aid groups and the United Nations warn that famine, already confirmed in northern Gaza, is likely to spread further south by the end of September.

International Response and Allegations of War Crimes

The scale and intensity of the Israeli operations have drawn sharp criticism from international organizations and human rights groups. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice. Human rights bodies, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the Israeli NGO B’Tselem, have previously concluded that Israel’s military actions in Gaza may constitute genocide, a charge Israel rejects as politically motivated and based on unreliable sources.

Israeli officials maintain that their operations target only militants and attribute civilian casualties to Hamas, alleging that fighters operate from within densely populated areas. However, Israel has not released its own figures for Palestinian casualties and continues to restrict access for international journalists, making independent verification challenging. The United Nations and most independent experts continue to rely on Gaza Health Ministry data as the best available estimate.

Broader Context and Continuing Displacement

The current assault is part of a broader campaign that began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. In the months since, repeated cycles of violence have displaced much of Gaza’s population, with many forced to move multiple times as frontlines shift and safe areas become targets. The destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and universities, has deepened the humanitarian crisis, leaving civilians with dwindling access to food, shelter, and medical care.

As the Israeli offensive in Gaza City intensifies, the international community faces growing pressure to intervene and prevent further loss of life. Calls for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access have so far gone unheeded, while the civilian population bears the brunt of the ongoing conflict.