A recent investigation by The Guardian has revealed that Israeli forces dropped a 500-pound (230-kilogram) MK-82 bomb on a seaside café in Gaza last Monday, killing at least two dozen civilians. The blast left a gaping crater and scattered deadly shrapnel across a wide radius, evidence, legal experts say, of an indiscriminate weapon likely used in violation of international law.

Fragments of the bomb were recovered from the ruins of Al-Baqa’a Café, where dozens of Palestinians had gathered to find a moment of respite from the unrelenting violence. Among the dead were children, women, and elderly men. Medical officials estimate that between 24 and 36 people were killed, with many more wounded.

Legal specialists interviewed by The Guardian warned that dropping such a high-powered munition on a location known to be filled with civilians could constitute a war crime. Under the Geneva Conventions, military attacks must not cause civilian casualties that are disproportionate to any expected military gain. The MK-82, known for its massive blast radius, is anything but precise.

The Israeli military claimed the attack is “under review” and insisted precautionary measures were taken. But on the ground in Gaza, these words ring hollow. Survivors and families of the victims are left picking through rubble, mourning loved ones lost to a war that has obliterated homes, schools, hospitals, and now, even cafés.

Since 7 October 2023, Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza has pushed the population to the brink of annihilation. Backed by the United States and defying international court rulings, the campaign has led to over 191,000 Palestinians killed or injured, most of them women and children. Thousands remain missing, entire families displaced, and famine is tightening its grip on a besieged population left without safe refuge or hope.

What happened at Al-Baqa’a Café is not an isolated incident, it is a chilling reminder of a war waged without restraint, and of a world watching in silence.