Gaza Crisis Deepens as Israeli Strikes Intensify, 54 Palestinians Killed

Gaza: The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has deteriorated further as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit residential areas, killing at least 10 Palestinians in the Zaytoun neighborhood. Heavy bombardments also struck Rafah, Jabaliya, and Khan Yunis.

Health officials reported that 54 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours alone, while four more — including children — died from hunger, bringing the total number of starvation-related deaths to 239. The overall death toll in Gaza since the escalation began has now reached 61,776, with thousands more injured and displaced.

The prolonged conflict has created severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, with aid convoys struggling to reach many areas due to ongoing military operations. Humanitarian organizations have warned of an impending famine if relief efforts are not urgently scaled up.

In a related development, tensions spilled beyond Gaza as Yemen’s Houthi movement reportedly launched missiles toward Israeli territory. The Israeli military stated its defense systems intercepted the projectile before it reached populated areas.

Earlier this week, Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that at least 89 Palestinians, including 31 people searching for food, were killed in the latest Israeli strikes, and more than 500 others were injured. Officials described the past 24 hours as among the deadliest in recent weeks, with 513 people wounded in attacks across multiple districts. Victims included men, women, and children gathered near aid distribution points in desperate attempts to secure basic supplies.

The health ministry said 31 of the dead were seeking food when they were struck, while five more people — including children — died from hunger during the same period, raising the total starvation death toll since the conflict began to 227, among them 103 children.

Amid the chaos of aid distribution, incidents unrelated to direct strikes have also caused injuries. In one case, two children suffered burns when a pot of hot soup overturned during a scramble for food at an aid center in Gaza City. Witnesses said the burns occurred after crowds surged forward, causing containers of hot meals to spill.

Read More: Israeli Bombing in Gaza Claims Lives of Several Palestinians Including Al Jazeera Journalist