On Saturday, the Israeli army launched barrages of missiles, shells, and live rounds at various parts of the devastated, starved, and besieged Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens of Palestinians.
In Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, the army targeted displaced Palestinians with missiles, killing at least two and injuring several others. Another Palestinian lost his life, and a few were injured, when the army fired live rounds at displaced individuals east of Beit Hanoun.
In the Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, the army fired a shell at a home near the Al-Orouba School, killing one Palestinian, Ahmad Mahmoud Siyam, and wounding several others. Similarly, an Israeli bombing of a Palestinian home in the western area of Nusseirat refugee camp killed one woman and caused multiple injuries.
Elsewhere in central Gaza, the army fired a missile at a motorcycle in the town of Zawaida, killing two Palestinians and wounding several others. A missile was also fired at a home on Sikka Street, east of the Zeitoun neighborhood in southeastern Gaza City, resulting in numerous injuries. The army further wired and detonated many homes and residential buildings in the eastern parts of Gaza City.
In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, the army bombed a home belonging to the Esleem family in the Qizan Najjar area, east of the city, killing Mohammad Essam Najjar and Abed Mohammad Najjar, and wounding several others.
The army also attacked a residential block southeast of Khan Younis, causing numerous casualties. Additionally, one Palestinian was killed, and a few were injured, when the army shelled land where families were sheltering in makeshift camps in Mawasi Khan Younis.
Palestinian medical sources reported on Saturday that Israeli bombings in Gaza had killed more than 44 Palestinians and injured dozens more across the coastal region. They also noted that in less than 48 hours, the army had killed over 100 Palestinians and wounded many others, including children and women, in different parts of Gaza.
The United Nations and its agencies have expressed deep concern over the catastrophic consequences of Israel’s six-week blockade on Gaza, which has prevented the entry of food, fuel, and other essential supplies. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), fuel shortages are at critical levels, forcing bakeries to shut down, hospitals to deplete their medical supplies, and generators to cease functioning due to a lack of fuel.
Since the resumption of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on March 18, approximately 500,000 individuals have been displaced, many for the second time. A spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, emphasized the severity of the crisis and cited reports that Israel’s defense minister plans for an indefinite military presence in Gaza’s “security zones” as well as in parts of Lebanon and Syria.
Humanitarian aid deliveries have faced significant obstacles, with Israeli authorities blocking several missions. While two aid deliveries were permitted on Wednesday, four others—including an urgent mission to retrieve fuel from Rafah—were denied, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Furthermore, the Israeli military has declared 30% of Gaza as a security buffer zone, prohibiting Palestinian civilians from living in these areas.
Since March 18, when Israel resumed its campaign in Gaza, the army has killed at least 1,189 Palestinians, including 212 children, 128 women, 28 elders, and 7 journalists.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that since October 7, 2023, at least 51,065 Palestinians have been confirmed dead, with 116,505 wounded. However, the total number of fatalities could exceed 61,700, as many remain buried under rubble across the destroyed Gaza Strip.
Among the deceased are at least 17,954 children, 12,365 women, 235 journalists, 23 medical staff, 1,394 medics and first responders, and 203 UNRWA workers
