Israel’s Airstrikes on Gaza City Kill at Least 32, Including 12 Children, Amid Escalating Conflict

In Gaza City, at least 32 lives were claimed in an aerial assault over the weekend, as Israel continues to escalate its military operations. Among the deceased were 12 children, confirmed by Shifa Hospital’s morgue.

Israel has been stepping up air strikes across Gaza City, causing extensive damage to multiple high-rise buildings, alleging that Hamas had installed surveillance equipment within them. On Saturday, the army announced another high-rise used by Hamas in the Gaza City region was targeted, and they urged residents to evacuate as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing control of the largest Palestinian city, which Israel views as Hamas’ last stronghold.

Overnight and into early Saturday morning, a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood was struck, resulting in the death of an entire family of ten. Health officials confirmed this tragic loss, including a mother and her three children. The Palestinian Football Association reported that Mohammed Ramez Sultan, a player for Al-Helal Sporting Club, was among those killed along with 14 members of his family. Graphic images showed the aftermath of the attack accompanied by thick plumes of smoke.

Israel’s military declined to comment on these specific attacks.

Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, relatives of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas gathered to demand a deal for their release and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tactics in securing peace. Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, denounced Israel’s recent attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar as “a spectacular failure.”

“President Trump stated yesterday that with every step forward in negotiations, Netanyahu bombs someone,” said Zangauker. “But it wasn’t Hamas leaders he tried to bomb—it was our chance, as families, to bring our loved ones home.”

With increasing hostilities and evacuation calls, the number of people leaving Gaza City has surged in recent weeks, according to aid workers. However, many families find themselves unable to leave due to financial constraints related to transport and housing costs, while others are hesitant to relocate again, fearing that no place within the enclave is truly safe.

Israel’s military issued a message on social media on Saturday, urging the remaining Palestinians in Gaza City to leave “immediately” and move south towards what they call a humanitarian zone. Army spokesman Avichay Adraee reported that over a quarter of a million people have already left Gaza City from an estimated 1 million who reside in the surrounding region.

However, the United Nations puts the number of displaced individuals at around 100,000 between mid-August and mid-September. The U.N. and aid groups caution that relocating hundreds of thousands could worsen the already critical humanitarian crisis. Overcrowded sites in southern Gaza where Israel is urging people to move have significant costs associated with relocation, a burden many cannot bear.

An initiative led by the U.N. aimed at providing temporary shelters within Gaza reported that more than 86,000 tents and other supplies are still awaiting clearance to enter the region as of last week.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported seven deaths, including children, over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition-related causes, raising the death toll since the conflict began to 420, with 145 of those being children.

The intensified bombing campaigns in Gaza City took place several days after Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, further complicating ongoing peace negotiations. The families of hostages still held captive within Gaza are urging Israel to halt the offensive for fear of their loved ones’ lives. The total number of hostages still inside Gaza is 48, with approximately 20 believed to be alive.

The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants launched an incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the abduction of 251 people and over a thousand deaths, primarily civilians. Israel’s subsequent retaliatory offensive has resulted in the death of at least 64,803 Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, without specifying whether these were civilians or combatants. The ministry reports that around half of those killed were women and children. Large portions of major cities have been reduced to rubble, and it is estimated that around 90% of approximately 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.