Heavy Israeli Air Strikes Kill Dozens in Gaza, Many Women and Children Among Victims

At least 48 Palestinians, including 22 children and 15 women, have died after a series of overnight Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza, according to the Indonesian Hospital. The strikes hit homes in Jabalia town and the nearby refugee camp. Heart breaking video footage showed bodies of victims laid out on the ground, BBC reported. 

The Israeli military said it's looking into the reports. It had earlier warned people in Jabalia and surrounding areas to leave after a Palestinian armed group fired rockets into Israel.

Meanwhile, the UN’s humanitarian chief has urged the UN Security Council to act quickly to prevent what he called a “genocide” in Gaza. At a meeting in New York, UN representative Tom Fletcher accused Israel of creating “inhumane conditions” for civilians and urged it to end its 10-week-long blockade of Gaza. He also criticized the Israeli-US plan to control aid delivery in the region.

In response, Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, claimed that foreign aid was helping Hamas fuel its war against Israel.

At the same time, US special envoys are heading to Qatar to push for a ceasefire and a deal to release hostages still held by Hamas.

In another tragic incident on Tuesday, at least 28 people were killed in a large Israeli strike on the European Hospital compound in southern Gaza. Reports say the strike targeted Mohammed Sinwar, believed to be Hamas’s current leader in Gaza after his brother Yahya Sinwar was killed last year.

Israel described the hospital strike as a “precise” attack on Hamas members using the site as a command center.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages. Since then, over 52,900 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.

The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, and calls for an urgent ceasefire are growing louder.