On Friday, Israeli forces intensified their bombing and shelling across the devastated and besieged Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens of Palestinians, including children and women. The ongoing siege continues to exacerbate suffering and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the region.
In the Safatwi area, north of Gaza City, four Palestinians, including two children, were killed, and several others were injured in an Israeli airstrike. Local and medical sources confirmed that the victims were members of the Al-Saksak family.
At least seven Palestinians, including women, children, and elderly individuals, were killed, and dozens injured—many critically—when Israeli forces bombed a home southeast of Gaza City.
Medical sources said Israeli warplanes targeted a home belonging to the Nassar family near Sikka Street in the Zeitoun neighborhood. The attack claimed the lives of Abdul-Latif Nassar, Nayef Abdul-Latif Nassar, Amani Abdul-Latif Nassar, Rawan Abdul-Latif Nassar, and Hala Abdul-Latif Nassar.
Two Palestinians were killed, and others injured, when an Israeli drone targeted a civilian vehicle in the Baten Al-Sameen area of Khan Younis city center.
Additionally, ten Palestinians were killed, and others injured, in two separate airstrikes targeting tents.
One strike hit a tent sheltering displaced families near Bader Mosque in the Zeitoun neighborhood, killing four Palestinians and injuring others. Another drone strike targeted a barbershop tent in central Khan Younis, killing six Palestinians.
In a related incident, Israeli warplanes bombed Abasan Al-Kabira town, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while military vehicles opened fire on areas northeast of Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.
Also in Khan Younis, one Palestinian was killed and twenty 20 others injured including 15 children, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Abu Shammala family home in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip.
The situation in Gaza remains dire as the death toll continues to rise amidst relentless airstrikes and shelling. Medical sources reported that 43 Palestinians have been killed, and dozens injured, mostly children and women, in multiple Israeli airstrikes and bombing attacks across Gaza since dawn on Friday.
Meanwhile, widespread malnutrition is escalating among children as aid deliveries remain halted, compounding the suffering of displaced families struggling with disease and starvation in temporary shelters across the besieged enclave.
In related news,, another Palestinian child, Odai Fadi Ahmad, has tragically died due to hunger, severe malnutrition, and a critical lack of oxygen. The prolonged closure of border crossings and Israel’s ban on essential food supplies for over six weeks have intensified the humanitarian crisis, culminating in this heartbreaking loss.
In its latest statement on Friday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that the number of children receiving treatment for malnutrition has surged to 3,600—an alarming rise from 2,000 just last month. The crisis has deepened amidst a total Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has been in effect since March 2.
The blockade has halted all deliveries of food and humanitarian aid, exacerbating the daily struggles of mothers and children facing acute shortages of essential supplies.
Families displaced to temporary shelters in Khan Younis refugee camp are grappling with severe shortages of food and clean water, leading to the spread of diseases among children.
OCHA spokesperson Olga Cheryvko underscored the urgency of the situation, stating that efforts to combat the malnutrition crisis will remain insufficient without addressing its root causes. She emphasized the need to reopen border crossings and improve living conditions to ensure access to adequate food supplies.
Cheryvko also warned that the prolonged seven-week closure of crossings is driving malnutrition rates even higher, especially among children, and poses a risk of collapse to life-saving services. She described the situation as critical and urged immediate action to avert a larger humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel has now killed at least 50,789 Palestinians, including 15,626 children and 9,806 women, and injured more than 116,505 individuals, predominantly children, women, and elderly citizens, across the devastated Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. Thousands of Palestinians remain trapped under the rubble of bombarded homes and buildings in destroyed streets and alleys throughout the coastal enclave.
