The 618th day of Israel’s war on Gaza has brought more death, more starvation, and a deeper silence from the world. Across the devastated Strip, airstrikes and artillery fire have struck crowded shelters, destroyed homes, and targeted Palestinians waiting desperately for food aid.

The death toll now stands at over 55,000, with more than 128,000 wounded since 7 October 2023, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. In the early hours of Saturday alone, Israeli attacks killed at least 86 Palestinians.

Residents in Rafah and central Gaza reported that Israeli forces opened fire directly on civilians queuing near U.S.-linked aid distribution points. Among the victims was Yousef Mohammed Jouda, who died from wounds sustained as he attempted to collect food near the Netzarim corridor. In another deadly assault, artillery shells and gunfire hit displaced Palestinians gathered near Rafah’s western aid centre.

Entire neighbourhoods continue to be reduced to rubble. In Khan Younis, Israeli warplanes bombed residential buildings in Hamad City. In Gaza City’s Shuja’iyya, occupation forces used explosives to demolish remaining homes. In the north, west, and centre of the Strip, nowhere is safe, not even aid queues or makeshift shelters.

Palestinians are not just dying from bombs but from the slow violence of siege and starvation. With every passing day, Gaza is being buried under both rubble and silence.