Fifty lives lost on Friday as Israeli forces step up strikes on Gaza City, a key Hamas stronghold. Gaza’s civil defense agency confirmed 35 deaths in the city, plus 15 elsewhere in the territory.
Israel says it aims to seize the territory’s largest urban center to dismantle Hamas infrastructure, targeting high-rise buildings it believes house militants. The military announced plans to "intensify the pace of targeted strikes" to disrupt the group and protect its troops ahead of the next operation phase.
The UN and international community have sounded the alarm over Gaza’s sudden famine declaration, warning the assault risks a humanitarian catastrophe. Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement demanding an "immediate" halt, citing rising civilian casualties and damage to critical services.
With Gaza City’s roads, hospitals and water supplies under increasing strain, aid agencies say each day without relief deepens the crisis. Local hospitals are overwhelmed, and displaced families face dwindling food and medicine stocks.
The offensive comes amid broader regional tensions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Israel this weekend, navigating friction with other Middle East allies over recent strikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar and new settlement moves in the occupied West Bank.
As Gaza braces for further escalation, the world watches closely: will calls for a ceasefire gain ground, or are tougher measures on the horizon?
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Fifty reported dead in Gaza as Israel steps up attacks on main city
cgtn.com
