Gaza death toll surpasses 57,000 as Israeli strikes intensify

In the last 24 hours, at least 111 Palestinians have been killed in ongoing Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Over 300 others have been injured. Among those killed, 33 were struck by Israeli forces while attempting to collect food and aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) relief centers, a controversial organization backed by Israel and the United States.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that since the beginning of the conflict nearly 21 months ago, the total number of deaths in Gaza has risen to 57,012, with over 134,592 individuals injured. Of the casualties, 56% are women and children, and more than 15,000 of those killed are children.

According to Al Jazeera, Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) conducted aerial bombings and drone strikes across Gaza from early Wednesday morning until late at night. In less than 48 hours, the IDF has killed at least 323 Palestinians. Of those, 139 were killed by noon on Wednesday, while 111 more were killed by the end of the day. On Thursday morning alone, 73 more people were killed, including 33 individuals who were at the GHF aid centers in Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting outside the GHF relief center in Deir al-Balah, killing 26 and injuring over a hundred. In a similar attack near Nabulsi Square, six more were killed and many others were injured.

A statement from Gaza’s Ministry of Information indicated that the IDF’s strikes were directed at refugee camps, civilian shelters, popular markets, homes, and other non-military targets.

Among the victims was Dr. Marwan Sultan, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital, along with several family members. The IDF reportedly targeted his home in Gaza City. Dr. Sultan’s daughter, Lubna Al-Sultan, recounted that an F-16 fighter jet launched a missile directly at their house, destroying only the room where her father was. She added, “My father was martyred. He was not affiliated with any political group. He only stood by injured patients.”

Further reports suggest that US mercenaries guarding the GHF aid centers have been involved in using stun grenades and live ammunition against the Palestinians seeking food.

In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, an Israeli airstrike on a tent killed 13 people, including a couple and their four children. Another attack in Gaza City killed four members of the same family. At the Mustafa Hafiz School in western Gaza, which was being used as a refugee shelter, 11 people were killed, and many others injured.

Because of widespread destruction, emergency services such as ambulances and civil defense workers have been unable to reach many injured or trapped under rubble.

Since May 27, the GHF has been distributing limited food aid, but Israeli forces have frequently targeted these groups of hungry Palestinians, killing at least 618 people and injuring over 4,500 in the process.

On July 1, more than 170 international aid organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, released a joint statement calling for the immediate closure of the GHF. These organizations accused the foundation of enabling Israeli forces to target hungry Palestinians, noting that both Israeli troops and armed groups regularly fire on civilians seeking food.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an unexpected attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel began its military operations in Gaza. After 15 months of combat, Israel declared a ceasefire on January 19 under pressure from the US and other mediating countries. However, just two months later, on March 18, Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza.

To date, the second wave of Israeli attacks has killed at least 6,404 people and injured 21,791.