Gaza City Attack Kills at Least 44 as Crisis Deepens

Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed at least 44 people, mostly in Gaza City, as the military continues its offensive despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the area are trapped and face starvation.

Civilian Deaths and Hospital Strain

A house in Gaza City’s Tufah neighborhood was destroyed by strikes early Saturday, killing at least 11 people, over half of whom were women and children. Separately, nine members of a single family died in a bombing at the Nuseirat refugee camp. Health officials also reported that six Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while seeking aid.

Civil defense crews have been blocked from reaching dozens of people buried under debris. The Israeli military has not confirmed the casualty figures.

Global Backlash

International criticism is intensifying:

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly that Israel “must finish the job,” prompting a walkout by several delegates.
• A UN commission concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
• The UK, France, Canada, and Australia are among the growing list of nations planning to recognize a Palestinian state.

The health system in Gaza City is collapsing, with clinics and hospitals damaged and forced to close due to extreme shortages of supplies and staff flight. The aid group Médecins Sans Frontières was forced to halt operations, stating its clinics were “encircled by Israeli forces,” leaving the most vulnerable people in “grave danger.”