Israeli airstrikes kill 60,249 in Gaza, 159 die from starvation

Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 111 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since the start of the war to 60,249, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

An additional 820 people were wounded in the latest attacks, reports Al Jazeera.

Among the dead are 91 individuals who were reportedly seeking humanitarian aid, many of them killed in and around relief centers operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Fifteen were killed on Thursday alone while queuing for food.

Meanwhile, five more people — including two children — died in hospitals due to starvation and malnutrition, raising the total number of confirmed hunger-related deaths to 159, the ministry added. Of those, 90 were children.

Despite an earlier announcement of a temporary pause for humanitarian access, Israeli operations continue across the besieged territory. The Israeli military said its 98th Division had concluded operations in northern Gaza, destroying over 1,500 “terrorist structures” and killing dozens of fighters in areas including Shejaiya and Zeitoun.

Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it had targeted Israeli troops with mortar fire near Al-Qarara in southern Gaza.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has again called for an immediate ceasefire. "Most newborns in Gaza are underweight and suffering from malnutrition. Water purification systems have collapsed, and disease is spreading rapidly," said UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna. “These crises cannot be addressed without a ceasefire.”

International pressure is mounting. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Similar commitments are under consideration by Portugal and Germany, while Sweden has urged the EU to suspend parts of its association agreement with Israel over the war.

The current war began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas attack killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. Although a ceasefire was announced on January 19, Israeli operations resumed on March 18. Since then, over 9,200 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed assault.