Overnight in Gaza City, at least 34 lives, including several children, were lost due to Israeli airstrikes, according to health officials. This escalation comes as Israel pushes forward with its offensive in the devastated region, and numerous countries worldwide prepare to recognize a Palestinian state.
Reports from Shifa Hospital indicate that among the casualties were 14 individuals killed in a Saturday night strike that devastated a residential block in southern Gaza City. Tragically, a nurse from the hospital, along with his wife and three young children, were among those who perished.
Israeli authorities have not yet issued a statement regarding these recent strikes.
This week’s renewed Israeli operation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, threatening to derail any prospects for a ceasefire across the Middle East. While the Israeli military has urged Palestinians to evacuate, it has not provided a timeline for the offensive, which some observers suggest could span months. Israel maintains that the objective of this operation is to compel Hamas to release hostages and surrender.
These Saturday night strikes occurred on the eve of a crucial United Nations General Assembly meeting where several influential Western nations are expected to announce their recognition of a Palestinian state. Among these countries are the UK, France, Canada, Australia, Malta, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Portugal’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed its intention to recognize a Palestinian state on Sunday.
The impending U.N. assembly has sparked hope among peace activists in Israel, who have lauded the forthcoming recognition of a Palestinian state. On Sunday, a coalition of over 60 Jewish and Arab organizations, known as the ‘It’s Time Coalition,’ representing approximately 1,000 activists, issued a collective call for an immediate end to the conflict, the release of all hostages, and formal recognition of a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, Saturday night saw tens of thousands of Israelis take to the streets, demanding an end to the conflict and a resolution for the release of hostages.
Despite these calls, a ceasefire remains out of reach. Over the past 23 months, Israeli bombardments have claimed over 65,000 lives in Gaza, laid waste to extensive areas, displaced approximately 90% of the population, and triggered a severe humanitarian catastrophe, with experts now asserting that Gaza City faces famine.
On Sunday, the military announced it had killed Majed Abu Selmiya, whom they identified as a sniper for Hamas’s military wing, allegedly in preparation for further attacks in Gaza City. No evidence was provided to support this claim.
However, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital and Majed’s brother, vehemently refuted these allegations, stating that Israel was attempting to rationalize the killing of innocent civilians. Dr. Selmiya further clarified that his 57-year-old brother suffered from chronic health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and significant vision impairment.
Amidst ongoing attacks, Israel has instructed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in Gaza City to relocate south to a designated ‘humanitarian zone.’ An additional corridor was opened south of the city for two days this week to facilitate further evacuations.
Despite these directives, many Palestinians are reluctant to be displaced yet again, with numerous individuals too weak, or simply unable to bear the financial burden of relocation, to leave Gaza City.
Along the arduous coastal route of Wadi Gaza, exhausted families frequently paused, seeking respite for themselves and their children from the challenging journey.
Aid organizations have issued urgent warnings that the forced evacuation of thousands will only worsen the already severe humanitarian crisis, appealing for an immediate ceasefire to ensure vital assistance reaches those in desperate need.
Pope Leo XIV strongly condemned the ‘forced exile’ of Palestinians from their homes in Gaza, asserting that a future for the ‘martyred’ Gaza Strip cannot be built on a foundation of violence and retribution.
During his Sunday noon blessing, Pope Leo reiterated his fervent plea for peace and extended gratitude to the Catholic organizations actively assisting Palestinians, with their representatives present in St. Peter’s Square.
Meanwhile, families of hostages still held by Hamas have accused Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of endangering their loved ones by prioritizing continued military action over negotiating a peaceful resolution to the conflict.