Israeli strikes escalate, dozens dead in Gaza

Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of dozens more people in Gaza, with the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory reporting heightened operations, particularly in the south.

Simultaneously, violence in the occupied West Bank continues to surge, marked by a second-day Israeli raid around Tulkarem, resulting in the reported death of a sixth person.

Amidst the relentless attacks, a newly brokered deal facilitated the entry of medicine for hostages held by militants and fresh aid for civilians into Gaza, according to Qatari mediators.

This development provided a momentary respite in a region already on edge due to Pakistani strikes on an Iranian border region and new US military action targeting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

Gaza’s health ministry disclosed that 93 people have lost their lives, including 16 in a single strike on a house in the southern city of Rafah. The devastating impact on civilians is evident, as one man was captured sitting among the rubble in Rafah, mourning the loss of his home and the lives of those close to him.

As the conflict rages on, Israel’s military claims to have killed dozens of militants in Khan Yunis, intensifying efforts to dismantle the Hamas leadership.

The toll on both sides is staggering, with the war in Gaza resulting in approximately 24,448 Palestinian deaths, the majority being women, children, and adolescents, according to health ministry figures.

The conflict has displaced around 85 percent of Gazans, and the UN stresses the urgent need for greater aid access to prevent famine and disease. Amid the chaos, a moment of relief surfaced as Qatar announced that medicine for hostages and aid had entered Gaza under the recent agreement.

In the West Bank, violence has reached levels not seen since the second Palestinian intifada, with army raids and settler attacks claiming around 360 lives. The economic toll is also severe, with the World Bank estimating a potential six percent decline in the West Bank’s GDP this year.

As the Middle East remains unsettled, Iranian strikes add another layer of complexity.

Pakistani strikes on an Iranian border region resulted in nine deaths, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed to have destroyed the “Zionist regime’s spy headquarters” in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

US forces conducted a fourth round of strikes in Yemen, targeting Iran-backed Huthi rebels who have disrupted shipping in the Red Sea.

The situation remains highly volatile, with civilian casualties mounting and geopolitical tensions escalating across multiple fronts.