Israeli occupation forces launched a fresh wave of heavy airstrikes early Saturday targeting several areas across northern Gaza, with particular focus on Beit Lahia and the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, the strikes resulted in dozens of fatalities and injuries, with the majority of victims reported to be women and children.

The escalation unfolds as Arab leaders gather in Baghdad for the 34th Arab League Summit, where the situation in Gaza has taken centre stage. A draft of the summit’s final communiqué calls for an “immediate cessation of the war in Gaza” and demands an end to ongoing Israeli violations against the sovereignty of Lebanon and Syria. It further reaffirms full support for the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, including their right to freedom, self-determination, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and the right of return and compensation for refugees.

Amid the bombardment, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate. The Government Media Office in Gaza has warned of a severe famine as a result of Israel’s closure of all border crossings for the past 77 days. At least 57 civilians, most of them children, have reportedly died from hunger and malnutrition, as essential food supplies vanish from markets and aid centres across the besieged enclave.

Local authorities and humanitarian agencies have renewed calls for urgent international intervention to prevent further civilian deaths and to facilitate the entry of aid and relief supplies into the Gaza Strip.