Gaza Hit by Intense Israeli Airstrikes; At Least 80 Reported Dead

At least 80 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, according to reports from hospitals and first responders. The Indonesian hospital reported that 50 people died in the northern Jabalia area, including 22 children and 15 women, after multiple homes were hit overnight. Nearby, al-Awda hospital confirmed the arrival of nine bodies, seven of them children.

The Israeli military stated it targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in the north, issuing warnings to residents in Jabalia and surrounding areas to evacuate after rockets were launched into Israel. Despite claims of caution to avoid civilian casualties, the strikes resulted in significant destruction and loss of life.

The UN's humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, addressing the UN Security Council in New York, urged action to prevent what he described as "genocide" in Gaza. Fletcher accused Israel of imposing "inhumane conditions" on civilians and called for the lifting of the 10-week blockade. He also condemned the Israeli-US plan to control the distribution of humanitarian aid through private companies as a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement." Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, dismissed the allegations as "baseless."

Residents of Jabalia reported hearing intense explosions throughout the night. Footage circulating online showed the aftermath, with flames illuminating the sky and bodies wrapped in blankets and shrouds at the Indonesian hospital. Hadi Moqbel, whose family was caught in the strikes, described the scene of destruction and the loss of his relatives, including a two-month-old baby.

Al-Awda hospital’s director said it was struggling to cope with the 52 injured people brought in after the strikes, citing critical shortages of medical supplies and fuel for its generators. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency confirmed that 80 people had been killed across Gaza since dawn, with 59 deaths concentrated in the north.

The Israeli military claimed its strikes targeted militants, asserting that "numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians." On Tuesday night, it issued a "final warning" to residents in Jabalia and neighboring areas, instructing them to evacuate immediately. Three rockets launched from Gaza into Israeli territory prompted further strikes, with two intercepted and one falling in an open area.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group said it launched rockets in response to "Zionist massacres." Meanwhile, Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders for sections of the northern Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, citing alleged Hamas command centers and meeting points within civilian areas, including schools and hospitals. The orders targeted densely populated areas where thousands of displaced people have sought refuge.

Since the Israeli offensive resumed on March 18, severe shortages of food and fuel have forced the closure of UN-supported bakeries and over 60% of community kitchens providing hot meals. The UN has warned that half a million people in Gaza face starvation amid worsening food insecurity.

Hamas’s recent release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander as a "goodwill gesture" has raised hopes for a potential ceasefire. US President Donald Trump, currently in the Middle East, said he was optimistic about the release of more hostages, adding that "all hostages must be released as a stepping stone to peace."

Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, are conducting indirect talks with regional mediators in Doha. Former hostages have also urged Israel to seize the opportunity to negotiate the release of remaining captives, emphasizing the urgency of a comprehensive deal.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated plans to escalate military operations in Gaza, declaring that the campaign to destroy Hamas would continue "with full force." He ruled out a complete ceasefire, suggesting that only temporary halts to the offensive might occur.

In southern Gaza, at least 28 people were killed in an Israeli strike on the European hospital compound in Khan Younis. The Israeli military claimed it was targeting Hamas leaders operating beneath the hospital. The health ministry in Gaza reported that 52,928 people have been killed since the offensive began on October 7, 2023, including 2,799 since operations resumed in March.

Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the "flattening" of Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces launched new raids on Thursday. The escalation coincided with the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, the mass expulsion of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948. As Palestinians mourned the catastrophe, Gaza’s death toll continued to rise, with rights groups warning of systematic destruction across the territory.