Gaza City: At least 30 Palestinians were killed across the besieged Gaza Strip since dawn on Friday, with 25 of them losing their lives in Gaza City where Israeli forces have intensified air and ground bombardments, medical sources told Al Jazeera.
According to reports, the densely populated city has witnessed some of the heaviest strikes since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, leaving entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging international mediation efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire. Hamas further alleged that Israel was pressing ahead with its plan to fully occupy Gaza City despite global appeals for restraint.
Meanwhile, world leaders have strongly condemned Israel’s approval of the controversial E1 settlement expansion project, which threatens to cut off one of the last remaining land connections between Ramallah and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Human rights observers warn that the move represents a dangerous escalation in Israel’s decades-long settlement expansion strategy.
Since the start of the war in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 62,192 Palestinians and wounded more than 157,114, according to official figures. On the Israeli side, 1,139 people were killed and more than 200 taken captive during the October 7 attacks.
The relentless bombardment, mounting civilian death toll, and destruction of homes and infrastructure have triggered worldwide protests demanding an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes.
