At least 92 killed as Israeli bombardment intensifies on Gaza
Bodies of victims of an Israeli attack are brought to al-Ahli Hospital ahead of their burial in Gaza City. PHOTO: ANADOLU
At least 92 Palestinians have been killed and 219 others injured over a two-day period of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, the territory’s Health Ministry reported on Saturday.
The latest round of attacks, which took place between 17 and 19 April, have left dozens trapped beneath rubble or stranded in areas unreachable by emergency services. The casualties include at least 15 children, the ministry said, citing an overnight raid on tents in Khan Younis. Another airstrike in Rafah reportedly killed a mother and daughter, along with two others, according to the European Hospital.
“For the vast majority of civilians, nighttime is the time of horror and unrelenting pain,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from central Gaza. “Nobody is safe in their homes, in the makeshift tents, in displacement camps.”
The bombardment comes amid a six-week Israeli blockade on aid, food, and fuel—an action that has continued despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice ordering humanitarian access.
Aid agencies have warned that food shortages are severe. “Kids are eating less than a meal a day and struggling to find their next meal,” said Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam. “Malnutrition and pockets of famine are definitely occurring in Gaza.”
The Israeli military relaunched its campaign on 18 March following a temporary ceasefire, vowing to expand operations and enforce “security zones” across the Gaza Strip.
Efforts to broker a truce remain stalled. Earlier this week, Israel proposed a 45-day pause in fighting in exchange for the release of 10 Israeli hostages and the disarmament of Hamas—conditions the group has outright rejected.
“The request to disarm Hamas is not acceptable to even hear,” said senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri. “This is not just a red line. It is a million red lines.”
In return, Hamas has proposed releasing all remaining hostages—believed to number around 58, though some are reportedly dead—if Israel agrees to a permanent ceasefire and full military withdrawal from Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the total number of fatalities since the start of the conflict has reached 51,065, with more than 116,500 wounded.
“We can see the psychological toll everywhere,” said Abu Azzoum. “People are walking the streets traumatised, exhausted, thinking about the dark future that awaits them.”