Israel continues to intensify attacks on Gaza, death toll reaches 53,339

At least 67 more Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours due to continuous Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Among the dead are many women and children.

According to various sources in Gaza, reported by Al Jazeera, more than 360 people were injured between Sunday (May 18) morning and Monday (May 18) morning.

Information from Gaza’s Health Ministry and international news agency Reuters says that these deaths occurred due to Israeli air and ground attacks in the southern, northern, and central parts of Gaza. Among them, at least 24 people died in an airstrike on a shelter camp for displaced people in Khan Younis. Several tents in the camp were also burned down.

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, the total number of people killed in the besieged region has reached 53,339. According to the Anadolu news agency, 121,034 Palestinians have been injured so far. Many people are still trapped under rubble or lying in the streets, but rescue workers cannot reach them due to insecurity. Medical workers have also said that many of the injured are in critical condition.

These attacks are continuing even as ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel are ongoing in Doha, the capital of Qatar. According to diplomatic sources, there has been no progress in the talks that began on Saturday (May 17).

Gaza health officials stated that in this new round of attacks alone, which began on March 18, 3,193 people have been killed and more than 8,993 injured. The intensity of both air and ground attacks has also increased. These attacks have effectively violated the ceasefire agreement declared in January.

Hamas has described the recent attacks as "a new brutal crime" and blamed the United States for the situation in a statement.

International analysts also say that the expansion of Israeli attacks is making the possibility of a ceasefire even more uncertain.

Although the Israeli military has not made any immediate comment on these attacks, in a previous statement they said they are carrying out large-scale military operations in various parts of Gaza as part of achieving their war objectives.

After a bloody 15-month campaign and under international pressure, Israel agreed to a ceasefire on January 19. This brought some calm to Gaza for about two months. However, in the third week of March, due to Hamas’s opposition to troop withdrawal, Israel broke the ceasefire and resumed its attacks.

According to the United Nations, about 90% of Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced due to Israeli aggression, and most of the region’s infrastructure has been either partially or completely destroyed.

Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages on October 7, 2023. In response, Israeli forces launched heavy attacks on Gaza, leading to war between the two sides. It is believed that Hamas still holds 58 hostages.

In November of the same year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing charges of genocide.