Gaza Airstrikes Leave Dozens Dead as Fighting Intensifies

At least 13 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, including five children, according to local emergency officials, as the latest round of violence further deepened the humanitarian crisis in the densely populated enclave.

Civil defence teams said the strikes hit residential areas and other locations across Gaza, causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure. Rescuers worked through the rubble to recover bodies and search for survivors, while hospitals struggled to cope with the influx of wounded amid chronic shortages of medical supplies.

Residents described scenes of panic as explosions rocked neighborhoods, sending families fleeing in the middle of the night. “There was no warning,” said one resident, who added that entire families were trapped under collapsed buildings.

Israeli officials said the strikes were aimed at militant targets and were carried out in response to security threats. The military has repeatedly stated that it seeks to minimize civilian harm, while accusing armed groups in Gaza of operating from within civilian areas.

The deaths of children have drawn renewed concern from humanitarian organizations, which warn that civilians are bearing the brunt of the conflict. Aid groups said continued fighting is exacerbating already dire conditions, with many families displaced and access to food, water, and electricity severely limited.

International calls for restraint have grown louder as the death toll rises. Diplomats have urged all sides to de-escalate and to protect civilians, warning that further violence risks triggering a wider regional crisis.

As airstrikes and retaliatory actions continue, prospects for an immediate ceasefire remain uncertain, leaving Gaza’s population caught in an increasingly deadly cycle of conflict.

Author: M.J