1. Dozens Killed as Israeli Strikes Hit Civilians in Gaza
At least 61 Palestinians have been killed in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza since dawn on Wednesday, targeting residential zones, a restaurant, and a school. The deadliest strike hit al-Wehda Street in Gaza City, where missiles struck the Thai and Palmyra restaurants simultaneously, killing at least 17 people.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported from the scene, describing overturned tables, blood-stained pavement, and panicked civilians combing through rubble. “This was one of the few places left where Palestinians could get a meal,” he said. Meanwhile, another strike nearby left multiple people “soaked in blood and shredded into pieces.”
Simultaneously, 13 more civilians were killed in an Israeli strike on the al-Karama School in the Tuffah neighborhood, which was sheltering displaced families. Additional attacks across Gaza led to further fatalities in Jabalia, Khan Younis, Deir el-Balah, and Bani Suheila, many of them children and entire families. Among the dead were four bodies recovered from a previous strike on a school sheltering Palestinians in the Bureij refugee camp.
2. Starvation Deepens Under Israeli Blockade
The humanitarian crisis is worsening as Israel’s blockade on Gaza, in effect since March 2, has halted the flow of critical food, fuel, and medical supplies. Aid agencies warn that food stocks are nearly depleted, with flour and basic goods no longer available in many areas.
At a UNRWA shelter, a mother of six told workers they were surviving solely on bread. “The State of Israel must lift the siege,” the agency declared on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the urgency for international action. With 88 percent of hospital beds occupied and a severe shortage of medical supplies, Gaza’s healthcare system teeters on collapse.
Mahmoud noted that even Palestinian farmers, desperate to grow their own food to combat starvation, are being targeted. “They’re trying to harvest what little they planted, but are being killed in the fields,” he reported.
3. Ceasefire Efforts Face Roadblocks Amid Continued Assault
Despite ongoing international mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, prospects for a ceasefire remain grim. In a joint statement, Egypt and Qatar reaffirmed their commitment to ending the “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” and warned against attempts to derail peace efforts through disinformation or media escalation.
However, Israel has signaled it will launch a more intense offensive if a ceasefire deal isn’t reached. Hamas responded that talks are meaningless while the blockade and bombings persist. “There is no sense in engaging in talks… as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue,” said Hamas official Basem Naim.
