israeli-air-raids-kill-64-in-gaza-un-warns-of-famine

At least 64 people were killed on Friday as Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, deepening a humanitarian catastrophe already worsened by famine, infrastructure collapse, and a deadlock in ceasefire talks.

 

Since dawn, the Gaza enclave has witnessed intense bombardment, with the Israeli military continuing its campaign against Hamas amid fraught negotiations for a hostage release deal.

 

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued an urgent plea, warning that “Gaza needs food now” and cautioning that hundreds of thousands are at imminent risk of dying from hunger.

 

Field reporters covering the developments from within Gaza said the population is “psychologically broken,” struggling not only with the constant Israeli bombardment but also with a crippling aid blockade that prevents parents from feeding their children.

 

Despite acknowledging that 90 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed, Israel’s Defence Minister declared, “Israel has no intention of lifting the aid blockade now,” stating the country will continue doing “whatever is in its capacity to pressure Hamas to release hostages.”

 

In response, Hamas has rejected a recent Israeli proposal which demanded the disarmament of the group and the simultaneous release of all hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.

 

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Hayya said in a statement that while the group was willing to release all hostages in a single phase, “disarming the group is not acceptable to Hamas, so they reject it.”

 

Hayya further accused Israel of sabotaging peace efforts and described the aid blockade as “a tool to kill people in Gaza.”

 

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, the death toll since the beginning of Israel’s campaign has reached at least 51,065, with over 116,505 reported wounded. However, the Gaza Government Media Office estimates the death toll to have exceeded 61,700, stating that thousands of bodies remain buried beneath rubble and are presumed dead.

 

Israel's military operation was launched following Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, in which 1,139 people were killed and over 200 taken hostage.