Israeli Airstrikes Kill 28 in Gaza, Including Four Children, as Fighting Intensifies
DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP — At least 28 Palestinians, including four children and two women, were killed in a new wave of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to hospital officials. The strikes began late Friday and continued into Saturday, intensifying an already devastating campaign that has now killed over 57,000 people since last October, by Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates.
The most recent casualties occurred in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, where 13 people were killed, according to staff at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Another four people died in an airstrike near a fuel station, while 15 were killed in Khan Younis, a major southern city, Nasser Hospital officials confirmed.
Israel Says It Targeted 250 Sites in 48 Hours
In a statement released Saturday, the Israeli military claimed it had hit around 250 targets throughout the Gaza Strip in the past two days. These, according to the army, included militants, tunnel networks, sniper posts, booby-trapped buildings, weapon caches, and anti-tank missile sites.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) did not directly address questions from the Associated Press about the civilian casualties in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. As with previous operations, Israel maintains that Hamas embeds its military infrastructure within civilian neighborhoods — a claim that continues to spark debate and condemnation worldwide.
Civilian Toll Mounts Amid Stalemate in Talks
The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas governance, reports that more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing war. Over half of the dead are women and children, according to their records. While the ministry does not separate fighters from civilians in its tally, United Nations agencies and international humanitarian groups widely consider its statistics to be the most reliable available from the war zone.
The new airstrikes come amid stalled negotiations over a possible ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump, who reentered the international arena after leaving office in 2021, claimed this week that he is “close to brokering” a new ceasefire deal. The agreement would reportedly include the release of more hostages held by Hamas and a winding down of hostilities. However, two days of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended with no sign of progress.
International Pressure Grows, but No Breakthrough
Pressure is mounting Israel to reach a ceasefire, as international outrage over the scale of civilian suffering intensifies. Humanitarian agencies warn of widespread famine, the collapse of medical infrastructure, and the displacement of nearly 2 million Gazans.
Despite renewed American involvement and growing demands for an immediate truce, the war shows no sign of ending soon. The lack of any breakthrough after high-level talks this week has left many in the region bracing for even more bloodshed.
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