The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has confirmed a rising death toll, with 412 Palestinians killed and over 500 others wounded, many in critical condition, following intensified Israeli airstrikes across the besieged territory since the early hours of Tuesday.
Among the casualties, three civilians, including a child, lost their lives when an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential home in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Many victims remain trapped beneath the rubble, as rescue workers continue efforts to retrieve them despite relentless bombardments.
In light of the escalating crisis, health officials have issued an urgent appeal for blood donations, urging all eligible individuals to rush to operational hospitals amid severe shortages of medical supplies.
The Government Media Office in Gaza reported that many bodies remain uncollected on the streets and under debris, as transportation systems have collapsed entirely due to Israel’s blockade on fuel supplies. The office highlighted that women, children, and the elderly constitute the majority of casualties.
The Israeli military has intensified its assault, conducting indiscriminate airstrikes on residential areas, makeshift shelters, and refugee camps, resulting in mass casualty incidents. In Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, Israeli warplanes struck a cluster of tents sheltering displaced families, killing five civilians, including two children, while at least 15 additional fatalities, including five children, and 20 injuries were recorded following airstrikes on Gaza City.
Similar destruction was reported in Al-Nuseirat and Al-Bureij refugee camps, where Israeli bombings flattened civilian homes, killing 14 people and injuring over 70, many critically. The Al-Zaytoun Hospital in Beit Lahia received eight bodies, including six children, following an Israeli strike on residential areas in Jabalia refugee camp.
Israeli warplanes also bombed a school housing displaced families in Al-Daraj neighbourhood, while further airstrikes targeted Tal Al-Hawa, Al-Sinaa Street, and other densely populated areas, causing additional casualties.
Civil defence teams and medical workers are facing immense difficulties in reaching affected areas, as unrelenting air and artillery attacks render rescue operations perilous and severely hinder humanitarian response efforts.
This escalation comes two months after a ceasefire agreement, prompting grave concerns of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, especially as Israel continues its blockade, restricting the entry of life-saving medical and humanitarian aid.
According to the Ministry of Health, the overall death toll in Gaza since 7 October 2023 has now surpassed 48,572, with the overwhelming majority of victims being women and children, while 112,032 others have been wounded. Thousands remain trapped under collapsed buildings or stranded in open areas, as rescue missions struggle to access them.
The resumption of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes a grave violation of international law. The 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) explicitly prohibit attacks on civilians, the systematic destruction of infrastructure, and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief efforts—all of which constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Despite escalating casualties and destruction, the international community remains largely silent, raising serious concerns over double standards in addressing Israeli violations. Palestinian rights groups and international legal experts continue to call for immediate accountability and urgent sanctions to halt these unabated violations of international law.
