The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza escalated once again, with a series of airstrikes on Thursday resulting in the deaths of at least 66 Palestinians. Among the casualties were 30 individuals who had sought refuge in a post office in the central Gaza Strip, which was targeted during an Israeli strike. The attack, which also left 50 others injured, destroyed the postal facility in Nuseirat refugee camp, a location crowded with displaced families. The strike caused significant damage to nearby homes, according to local medics.
Nuseirat is one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, established in the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Over time, it has become part of a densely packed urban area home to displaced Palestinians from across the region.
Earlier that day, two separate airstrikes in southern Gaza resulted in the deaths of 13 Palestinians. These individuals, according to medics and Hamas sources, were part of a force guarding humanitarian aid trucks. However, the Israeli military described the victims as Hamas militants who had attempted to hijack the aid shipments. The military claimed that these attacks were crucial to ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s civilians, accusing Hamas of attempting to divert aid to support further militant activities.
Hamas responded by accusing Israel of contributing to anarchy in Gaza, allegedly facilitating the looting of aid supplies. The group also claimed that Israeli airstrikes had killed over 700 police officers tasked with protecting these trucks since the conflict began in October 2023.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military ordered evacuations in several districts of Gaza City, warning residents of impending strikes in response to rocket fire from those areas. As the sun set, families fled, heading toward the city center in search of safety.
Elsewhere in Gaza, Israeli bombings of residential buildings in Gaza City’s al-Jalaa Street and a house near Nuseirat killed 22 more people. In northern Gaza, an orthopedic doctor, Saeed Judeh, was fatally shot by Israeli forces while traveling to Al-Awda Hospital, where he typically treated patients. His death raised the toll of healthcare workers killed in the conflict to 1,057, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The violence has yet to see any resolution, with months of ceasefire efforts failing to produce a lasting agreement. The United Nations General Assembly recently called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, alongside the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The conflict, which erupted after Hamas fighters attacked Israeli communities, killing approximately 1,200 people and capturing 250 hostages, has devastated Gaza. Israel’s military response has left large portions of the enclave in ruins, with more than 44,800 Palestinians reported dead, according to local health officials. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, leading to widespread hunger, disease, and suffering.