Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza has surpassed a grim milestone, with over 60,034 Palestinians killed since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
On Tuesday alone, at least 62 Palestinians, including 19 seeking humanitarian aid, were killed despite Israel’s announced “pauses” for aid delivery.
Local reports describe a brutal assault involving booby-trapped robots, tanks, and drones, marking one of the bloodiest nights in recent weeks.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, suggested these attacks may signal an imminent Israeli ground operation, though Israel has not clarified its objectives.
The relentless violence, coupled with a partial aid blockade lifted in March, continues to plunge Gaza into a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed that famine thresholds have been reached across most of Gaza, with acute malnutrition rampant, particularly in Gaza City.
Over 20,000 children were treated for malnutrition between April and July, with more than 3,000 in severe condition.
The IPC warns that 500,000 people face extreme food deprivation, exacerbated by Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid.
At least 147 deaths, including 88 children, have been attributed to starvation since the conflict began.
Medical staff at Nasser Hospital report seeing babies with severe malnourishment, described as “skin over bone,” with long-term risks including cognitive impairments and heart failure.
Israel’s tactics, including targeting crowds near aid sites, have drawn widespread condemnation for worsening the crisis.
The human toll is starkly illustrated by the story of Safa al-Agha, a young girl wounded in an Israeli attack on her family’s tent in al-Mawasi.
Footage shows her mourning her mother, killed in the strike, as she cries, “Mama, who did you leave us for?”
Satellite imagery from July 26 reveals thousands of displaced Palestinians crowding around 15 aid trucks in southern Gaza, with Israeli military posts stationed just 300 meters away.
Nine civilians were killed by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution point in Qizan al-Najjar, south of Khan Younis, highlighting the dangers faced by those seeking basic necessities.
The United Nations has called for unhindered aid access and a permanent ceasefire to end the unfolding horror in Gaza.