Israel has reported conducting more than 300 strikes on the Gaza Strip within 24 hours, as the conflict triggered by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel continues to escalate. The recent attacks have reportedly resulted in dozens of fatalities, adding to the grim tally of casualties from the ongoing hostilities.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 4,650 people have been killed in Gaza, with around 40 percent of them being children. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed, and more than one million people have been displaced. This dire situation has led to mounting concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Despite the ongoing violence, humanitarian aid efforts continue to provide a lifeline to the residents of Gaza. A dozen trucks carrying urgently needed aid arrived in Gaza from Egypt, making it the third convoy in as many days. The aid, brokered by the United States, aims to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza, where access to necessities such as water, food, power, and fuel has been severely restricted.
The Israeli military has maintained its offensive in the region, and a full-scale ground invasion is looming. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his commitment to “erasing Hamas.”
In response to the continued violence, Gaza’s Hamas-controlled government reported that “more than 60 were martyred in the raids” during the night, with 17 people killed in a single strike on a house in northern Gaza. At least ten more individuals lost their lives in new strikes on Monday morning.
The Israeli military has indicated that it targeted “over 320 military targets in the Gaza Strip” within the 24 hours leading up to Monday morning. The targets included tunnels housing Hamas militants, operational command centers, military compounds, and observation posts used by Islamic Jihad, another militant group.
The situation remains tense in the region, with Israeli forces amassed near the Gaza border and smaller units already conducting limited incursions in the hopes of rescuing hostages. The clashes have also led to tensions in the occupied West Bank, where 95 Palestinians have been killed in clashes involving Israeli security forces or settlers since the start of the Gaza conflict.
Israel continues to evacuate southern communities near Gaza, while fears grow about the humanitarian crisis within Gaza itself. The conflict has also led to international concerns about the potential for the war to escalate into a full-scale regional conflict, with various groups and countries warning against further escalation.
Efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza continue, but the United Nations estimates that Gaza needs approximately 100 trucks of relief goods every day to address the pressing humanitarian needs. The region’s ambulances, hospital incubators, and water desalination plants are at risk of ceasing operation due to the lack of fuel.
In a joint statement, several Western leaders stressed the need to “prevent the conflict from spreading” and “preserve stability in the Middle East.” Israel’s arch-foe, Iran, has warned of an escalation, and its allied armed groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, have been involved in cross-border fire with Israel.
The situation remains highly volatile, with multiple stakeholders urging restraint and diplomacy to avoid further escalation and loss of life.