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Israel intensifies air and ground assaults across the besieged enclave
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Gaza Strip - Nearly 3,000 aid trucks remain stuck at Gaza’s border as Israel intensifies air and ground assaults across the besieged enclave, particularly targeting the central and southern regions. The blockade, now entering its second month, has crippled humanitarian relief efforts, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warning of worsening conditions amid widespread hunger and displacement.
Israel's latest bombardments struck Deir el-Balah and al-Mawasi—areas that had been designated as "humanitarian zones"—as well as residential neighborhoods in Beit Lahiya in the north. At least 10 people have been killed in the last 24 hours, with dozens more injured, according to reports from medical staff and journalists on the ground.
Farmers, children among the dead
Three Palestinian farmers were killed in an Israeli drone attack this morning in eastern Khan Younis. Witnesses say the victims were en route to their fields, attempting to grow food to alleviate severe shortages. In nearby Khuza’a, artillery shelling killed another civilian and left one person seriously wounded.
A separate drone strike in al-Mawasi, in southern Gaza, killed at least three more people. One of the victims was a child who succumbed to injuries sustained earlier, according to hospital sources. In northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya, three people were killed in a residential area hit by air raids, with the wounded transferred to the Indonesian Hospital.
Mounting casualties
The Gaza Health Ministry has put the death toll from Israel’s ongoing military campaign at 52,400, with 118,014 wounded. However, the Gaza Government Media Office says the number of dead likely exceeds 61,700, as thousands remain buried under rubble and are presumed dead.
The conflict erupted after Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, killed approximately 1,139 people in Israel and saw over 200 taken captive.
UNRWA: Border blockade a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’
UNRWA reports that nearly 3,000 aid trucks are unable to cross into Gaza due to Israel’s border closure, stalling the delivery of critical food, water, and medical supplies. Hospitals across Gaza are overwhelmed and under-resourced, with patients dying from treatable injuries.
“The starvation policy is intentional, like the destruction it is causing,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.
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International and Regional Reactions
Meanwhile, Hamas has condemned Switzerland’s recent ban on the group and its affiliates, calling the move “a dangerous bias towards the occupation” and urging Bern to reverse its decision.
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers vandalized Palestinian property and stole livestock in the northern Jordan Valley, according to the Wafa news agency. Attacks by settlers have become increasingly frequent, with 255 incidents reported in March alone, as documented by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission.
Fires rage in Israel, Europe sends aid
As Gaza burns under bombardment, wildfires are simultaneously engulfing parts of Israel, with 11 hotspots still active near Jerusalem. Italy and Cyprus have dispatched eight firefighting aircraft to assist. Israeli authorities say these are the most devastating blazes in a decade, threatening to reach the capital.
Activist released in U.S.
In the United States, Palestinian student activist Mohsen Mahdawi has been released from detention after a judge ruled in his favor. He is currently challenging the Trump administration's attempt to deport him over his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
The Bigger Picture
Since the collapse of a ceasefire on March 18, 2,308 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 6,000 injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Meanwhile, Israel has faced increasing pressure at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its actions as an occupying power.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed attacks on military sites in Tel Aviv and a U.S. aircraft carrier, declaring their intent to escalate operations until Israel ends its assault on Gaza.
As conditions in Gaza grow more desperate, pressure mounts on regional and international actors to intervene and push for a lasting ceasefire.
Source: Aljazeera
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