Israel stepped up its military campaign in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, launching intense airstrikes that flattened residential buildings and signaled preparations for a broader ground assault. Additional Israeli troops were reportedly deployed inside the enclave, and the military warned residents in Gaza-border towns of potential escalations and loud explosions in the coming hours. The renewed offensive comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis that has drawn sharp international concern. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the current phase of the war as potentially the "cruelest" yet, warning that the entire population of Gaza is at risk of famine. Citing a new international assessment, he condemned Israel for restricting humanitarian aid for nearly 80 consecutive days. "Families are being starved and deprived of the essentials of life under the eyes of the world," Guterres said. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, 79 people were killed and 211 wounded in the past 24 hours alone. Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, the reported death toll has reached 53,901, with 122,593 injured. Following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire on March 18, 2025, at least 3,747 Palestinians have been killed and over 10,500 wounded in renewed hostilities. As the military campaign intensifies, Israeli leadership has shown growing resistance to diplomatic efforts. Israel's Channel 12 reported that David Zini, the new head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, has opposed ceasefire talks and prisoner exchange negotiations in internal meetings. He reportedly described the war as "eternal," arguing against halting military operations even for the retrieval of Israeli hostages. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 172,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the past week due to Israeli airstrikes and forced evacuations, raising the total number of displaced people in Gaza to more than 610,000 since mid-March. The IOM described the humanitarian situation as "worsening by the day," urging immediate access for aid organizations amid what it called a total absence of civilian protection. Despite the soaring humanitarian needs, aid deliveries remain severely limited. The United Nations has said that even when small amounts of aid enter Gaza, they often fail to reach the population due to security challenges and distribution obstacles. Relief agencies report acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. One of the latest airstrikes reportedly targeted the home of Alaa al-Najjar, a physician at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing all nine of her children while she was on duty treating patients. Hamas condemned the strike as a "horrific massacre," calling it indicative of what it described as the "sadistic nature" of the Israeli military campaign. The group accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of committing mass killings "with cold blood and no moral or humanitarian restraint." Hamas further alleged that Israeli forces have systematically targeted medical workers and their families in an effort to "break the will" of essential service providers. "These crimes will not be forgotten, and those responsible will be held accountable," the statement said. Separately, the Associated Press reported testimonies from seven Palestinians who said they were used as human shields by Israeli forces in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Two Israeli soldiers also admitted participating in such practices, which are banned under international law. Human rights organizations have expressed growing concern over the alleged use of civilians as human shields and are calling for urgent international investigations into possible war crimes.
