GAZA CITY – Overnight Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza claimed the lives of at least 25 individuals, including six children and two women, officials reported early Tuesday. The casualties were the result of multiple airstrikes, two of which targeted residential areas in the densely populated Bureij refugee camp.
Emergency responders rushed the bodies to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the facility’s medical staff confirmed the updated toll as more victims were recovered from the rubble. The strikes caused widespread devastation, reducing several homes to debris and sparking urgent rescue efforts throughout the night.
The latest airstrikes have compounded the already immense toll on Gaza’s civilian population, which has been trapped in the ongoing conflict for years. Local witnesses described scenes of chaos and grief as families sifted through the remnants of what were once their homes. “I can’t believe they are gone,” said one distraught man, searching for his relatives in the wreckage.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strikes were part of an intensified military campaign targeting militant infrastructure and operations within Gaza. According to IDF officials, the airstrikes were aimed at Hamas-affiliated sites, which they claim were being used for launching attacks against Israel.
However, civilian casualties in Gaza have continued to rise, drawing sharp criticism from humanitarian organizations. “The indiscriminate airstrikes in densely populated civilian areas have led to an unacceptable loss of life,” said a spokesperson for Human Rights Watch. “The majority of the victims are non-combatants, including children and women.”
The Bureij camp, which was struck overnight, is one of the most crowded and vulnerable areas in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of families reside in makeshift homes, and the camp has been frequently targeted during periods of heightened conflict. Residents described the terror of the airstrikes, with many families huddling together in an attempt to shield themselves from the relentless bombardment.
The overall death toll in Gaza has surged dramatically in recent months as the conflict has escalated. According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 42,000 people have been killed since the fighting intensified a year ago. A significant portion of those deaths are believed to be civilians, with children and women making up the majority of the fatalities.
In addition to the mounting death toll, nearly 100,000 people have been injured in the conflict, many suffering life-altering wounds. Hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of casualties, struggling with limited resources and ongoing shortages of medical supplies.
The international community has expressed growing concern over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. Calls for a ceasefire and negotiations have intensified, but efforts to broker peace have thus far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Gaza’s population, already beleaguered by years of blockades and conflict, continues to bear the brunt of the violence.
As rescue operations continued in the aftermath of the latest strikes, families across Gaza awaited news of their loved ones, hoping against hope for their survival amid the ruins.