Israel Shells Crowded Gaza City; 130 Killed Amid Humanitarian Collapse
DEIR AL-BALAH – Israeli military strikes across Gaza have killed at least 130 Palestinians and wounded over 1,000 in the past 24 hours, marking one of the deadliest recent escalations in the ongoing war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The latest violence centers on Deir al-Balah, a city teeming with displaced Palestinians. Following an Israeli evacuation order, hundreds fled to the area seeking safety—only to face tank shelling that struck homes and mosques, killing at least three and injuring several others, medics reported.
The World Health Organization confirmed that its staff residence and main warehouse in Deir al-Balah were also hit. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said two WHO workers and two family members were detained by Israeli forces—three were later released while one remains in custody. The Israeli mission to the U.N. declined to comment.
The United Nations expressed outrage, saying that two U.N. guesthouses were struck despite prior communication about their coordinates. “These locations—like all civilian sites—must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders,” said U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
Further south in Khan Younis, an Israeli airstrike killed at least five people, including a couple and their two children, who were staying in a tent, medics said.
Hostage Concerns
Israeli forces are believed to be avoiding certain areas of Deir al-Balah due to suspicions that Hamas may be holding hostages there. Of the 50 captives believed to remain in Gaza, at least 20 are presumed alive. Families of the hostages have demanded answers from Israeli leadership, warning, “No one will be able to claim they didn’t know what was at stake,” according to a statement from the Hostage Families Forum.
Hunger and Medical Collapse
Gaza’s Health Ministry warned of potential “mass deaths” from starvation, noting that at least 19 people, including children, have died of hunger since Saturday. Hospitals are running dangerously low on fuel, food, and medical supplies, leaving staff to survive on a single meal per day, said Health Ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran.
On Monday, Israeli undercover forces reportedly detained Dr. Marwan Al-Hams, head of Gaza’s field hospitals, during a raid outside a Red Cross-run medical facility. A journalist was killed and another wounded in the incident. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed it treated the wounded but withheld further details, expressing “deep concern” over safety at the field hospital.
Aid Blocked Despite Stockpiles
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it has received desperate messages from Gaza residents, including staff, reporting near-famine conditions. Despite having three months’ worth of food stocked near Gaza’s borders, aid deliveries remain blocked. “Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale,” UNRWA said on X.
On Sunday, 67 Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food aid. A day earlier, 36 others were killed in similar circumstances. Israel’s military claimed troops had fired “warning shots” in response to perceived threats and argued that casualty reports may be exaggerated.
Nevertheless, Britain and 20 other nations on Monday demanded an immediate ceasefire and criticized Israel’s handling of aid distribution. Israel rejected the statement, calling it “disconnected from reality.”
War Toll
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza that has now killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population, and triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Ceasefire talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt with U.S. support, remain stalled as Hamas signals frustration over the rising death toll and worsening famine.
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