Fifty Reported Dead in Gaza as Israel Intensifies Attacks on Gaza City

At least 50 people were killed in Gaza on Friday as Israeli forces carried out heavy strikes on Gaza City, according to the territory’s civil defence agency. The latest escalation comes as Israel pushes to capture Gaza’s largest urban centre, which it says remains a stronghold of Hamas.

The Israeli military confirmed that its operations targeted “terrorist infrastructure and high-rise structures” in Gaza City. Officials in Tel Aviv said the offensive is part of a wider plan to defeat Hamas, whose October 2023 attack triggered the ongoing Gaza war.

Gaza’s civil defence agency said 35 people were killed in Gaza City alone on Friday, with another 15 casualties in surrounding areas. The strikes destroyed several buildings, forcing hundreds of families to flee.

The United Nations has already declared a famine in Gaza City. Aid groups warn that further military action will make the humanitarian crisis worse. Shortages of food, water, and medicine are growing, and hospitals are struggling to treat the injured.

Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement calling for an “immediate” halt to the Israeli offensive. The European nations said the assault was causing high civilian casualties and damaging essential infrastructure. Other international voices, including the UN, have warned Israel against advancing deeper into Gaza City.

Israel maintains that it will continue strikes until Hamas is fully defeated. However, the high civilian death toll has sparked anger worldwide and raised fresh calls for a ceasefire.