GAZA ( The COW News Digital ) Israeli airstrikes continued to pound the besieged Gaza Strip, killing at least 53 Palestinians in a single day and reducing 16 high-rise buildings to rubble, according to Palestinian health and civil defense officials.
The Gaza Civil Defense reported that relentless bombing targeted densely populated residential areas, displacing more than 6,000 people overnight. Families were seen fleeing their homes in panic, seeking shelter in already overcrowded schools and makeshift camps.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed that the total death toll since October 2023 has now reached 64,871, while the number of wounded has surged to 164,610. Doctors say hospitals remain overwhelmed, operating far beyond capacity, with severe shortages of medicine, fuel, and medical equipment.
In a rare admission, former Israeli Army Chief Herzi Halevi acknowledged that more than 200,000 Palestinians in Gaza have either been killed or wounded as a result of Israel’s ongoing offensive. He noted that over 10 percent of Gaza’s population has been directly affected by the attacks, describing the scale of destruction as “unprecedented.”
Human rights organizations and international observers have raised alarms over the humanitarian catastrophe, with many calling for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. The destruction of residential towers has left thousands of families homeless, compounding the crisis as food, clean water, and medical aid remain scarce.
Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as civil defense teams pulled bodies from the rubble while mourning relatives gathered at overcrowded morgues. “This is not just a war; it is the erasure of entire neighborhoods,” one Gaza resident said, calling on the international community to intervene before it is too late.
Regional and global leaders have renewed calls for de-escalation. However, Israel has maintained that its operations are aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure in Gaza. The situation has further fueled tensions across the Middle East, with protests erupting in several capitals demanding action against Israel’s ongoing assault.
The continued bloodshed has reignited international debate on war crimes and collective punishment, with many experts urging the United Nations to take decisive measures to stop further civilian casualties.
