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Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip claimed the lives of at least 26 individuals overnight and into Wednesday, according to Palestinian medical officials. Among the fatalities were 19 people in a northern home sheltering displaced residents, as reported by local hospitals.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues unabated, despite Israel’s recent ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon and international attention shifting to other regional crises, such as efforts to unseat Syrian President Bashar Assad. Attempts at brokering a lasting truce remain stalled despite diplomatic efforts by both outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations.
One strike in Beit Lahiya near the Israeli border killed 19 people, including a family of eight spanning three generations, according to records from Kamal Adwan Hospital. Meanwhile, seven individuals, including two children and their parents, died in an airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, as reported by the Awda Hospital.
The Israeli military has not commented but reiterates its stance that it targets militants who use civilian areas as cover, putting residents at risk.
In response, militants in central Gaza launched four projectiles into Israel, with two intercepted and the other two landing in open areas without causing casualties, according to Israeli authorities.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants carried out a deadly incursion into Israel, killing approximately 1,200 civilians and abducting around 250 people. Over 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with estimates suggesting that a third of them have died.
Israel’s subsequent offensive has resulted in over 44,000 deaths in Gaza, according to local health officials. Women and children reportedly make up over half of the casualties, although the figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israeli officials claim that over 17,000 Hamas militants have been killed, though no evidence has been provided to substantiate this.
Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of Israel’s intensified operations, with key areas like Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, and Jabaliya refugee camp largely cut off from humanitarian aid. Israeli authorities claim these areas are mostly evacuated, but U.N. estimates suggest 65,000–75,000 civilians remain, many facing dire shortages of food, water, and medical care.
Sigrid Kaag, a senior U.N. humanitarian coordinator, described conditions across Gaza as “utterly devastating,” citing widespread looting and lawlessness that have hindered aid distribution. Kaag urged Israel to facilitate humanitarian access, reopen border crossings, and allow essential goods into Gaza.
While the Israeli military contends it permits adequate aid into Gaza, U.N. officials argue that restrictions, combined with ongoing conflict, have made it difficult to distribute supplies. Calls for a ceasefire continue to mount as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
Diplomatic talks mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have reportedly gained traction, but significant obstacles remain. Hamas has conditioned the release of hostages on the cessation of hostilities and a withdrawal of Israeli troops, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are freed.
