Gaza: Over 404 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza following a massive wave of Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The United Nations and UNRWA are deeply alarmed by the heavy toll of violence. Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, has called for an immediate return to the ceasefire.
On his official X (formerly Twitter) account, he condemned the scenes in Gaza, saying,
"Gaza: A return to the ceasefire is a must. Awful scenes of civilians, including children, killed in the heavy bombardment. Fueling 'hell on earth' by resuming the war will only bring more despair and suffering."
According to the Palestinian Health Ministery, the air strikes, which hit multiple areas across Gaza—from residential neighbourhoodsto refugee camps—have caused widespread destruction with killing 404 and left 562 more injured. The Israeli military launched these strikes after alleging that Hamas refused to release hostages and violated the ceasefire established on January 19, 2025.
Despite the insistence of Israeli leaders that military action will continue until their objectives are met, UN and UNRWA officials warn that this escalation is only worsening the humanitarian crisis, further compounded by a two-week aid blockade that is severely limiting critical supplies. With the UN Security Council set to meet at 10 AM in New York to discuss the crisis and explore urgent measures to restore humanitarian access and protect civilians, the international community is calling for an immediate ceasefire to halt the violence and alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s people.
