Gaza ( The COW News Digital) The Israeli military intensified its offensive on Thursday, carrying out fresh air and ground strikes across Gaza that left more than 70 Palestinians dead, including women and children, according to reports from Al Jazeera.
In one of the deadliest incidents of the day, seven Palestinians, including three children, were killed when Israeli fighter jets bombed the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Witnesses described the attack as devastating, with several homes reduced to rubble and survivors frantically searching for loved ones under debris.
Meanwhile, in southern Rafah, Israeli forces opened fire on a group of civilians who had gathered near a humanitarian aid distribution center. Seven people were killed in that assault, while dozens more sustained injuries. Local health workers said the victims had been waiting for food and medical supplies when the shooting began.
Al Jazeera reported that a total of 75 Palestinians were killed on Thursday alone in combined air and ground operations. The death toll has surged dramatically, with over 250 Palestinians reported killed in the last three days of fighting. The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of casualties, amid shortages of medicines, fuel, and essential supplies.
The United Nations released alarming figures, stating that Israel’s ongoing two-year-long military campaign in Gaza has left more than 21,000 children permanently disabled. Aid agencies warn that the health and education infrastructure in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse.
For its part, the Israeli military claimed it had gained control of 40 percent of Gaza City and vowed to expand its operations further. An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson said the campaign would continue until Hamas’s governance in Gaza is dismantled and all Israeli hostages are released.
“The operations will intensify in the coming days,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing that Israel’s objectives remain unchanged despite mounting international concern over civilian casualties.
The latest escalation has drawn renewed calls for a ceasefire from humanitarian groups and several governments, but efforts at the United Nations have so far failed to secure a breakthrough. Residents of Gaza, already reeling from two years of relentless conflict, now face heightened fear and uncertainty as Israeli forces expand their ground presence.
