Over one hundred Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, despite a ceasefire that came into effect earlier this month. The strikes, which have targeted residential areas, makeshift camps, and the vicinity of a hospital, have resulted in a significant number of casualties, including at least thirty-five children. Emergency services have warned that the death toll is likely to rise, with many victims suffering severe injuries and others still trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.
The resumption of intense bombardment follows orders from the Israeli Prime Minister for immediate and powerful strikes on the territory. These military actions were initiated after Israeli officials made allegations against Palestinian factions, which have been categorically denied. The subsequent aerial offensive has been described by Gaza civil defence spokespersons as a series of horrific massacres, committed in plain view of an international community accused of inaction and an inability to enforce concrete measures to protect civilian lives.
The escalating violence poses a severe challenge to the fragile truce agreement, which had been facilitated by international mediators. Palestinian groups have accused Israel of deliberately violating the terms of the agreement and systematically obstructing its implementation, including by impeding the agreed-upon recovery of the deceased and maintaining a strict closure on border crossings that function as vital supply routes. The continued military operations and the ensuing humanitarian crisis have cast serious doubt on the viability of the ceasefire and the broader diplomatic process it was meant to support.
