Gaza: More than 500 Palestinian children have been killed amid sustained Israeli airstrikes across Gaza since the collapse of the ceasefire with Hamas last month, according to Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defence. The death toll continues to mount as international officials describe the territory as devastated and unrecognizable.
Recent Israeli strikes on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least six more individuals, including a child, raising the total number of Palestinians killed in the last 24 hours to over 20. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 1,500 people have been killed since hostilities resumed on March 18.
Among the latest casualties were two individuals killed and two children injured in Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood. Two more were killed in al-Atatra, located in northern Beit Lahiya. A separate drone strike in Qizan an-Najjar, near Khan Younis in the south, claimed another life. Air raids also targeted civilian tent encampments in al-Mawasi—an area previously designated by Israeli forces as a “safe zone”—resulting in numerous injuries and fatalities.
A report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that 36 of 224 verified Israeli airstrikes between March 18 and April 9 resulted in deaths exclusively among women and children. The Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq said these patterns supported their earlier warnings of deliberate and systematic attacks on civilians.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini characterized Gaza as a “post-apocalyptic killing zone” during a speech at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye. He also reiterated that Israel continues to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid, including food, fuel, and medicine, in violation of international law.
UNRWA’s Director of Communications Juliette Touma echoed this warning on social media, stating that essential supplies are nearly depleted, leaving children to go to bed hungry.
As Israel intensifies its military operations, officials have outlined plans to expand territorial control in southern Gaza, issuing additional evacuation orders to residents. According to UNRWA, around 400,000 Palestinians have been newly displaced since March 18. Overall, 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced since the war began on October 7, 2023.
To date, more than 50,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with over 115,000 others injured, sparking widespread international condemnation and renewed calls for accountability.
