The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening as international pressure grows for an immediate ceasefire to end the devastation caused by Israel's ongoing military campaign. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported on Saturday that 71 Palestinians were killed and 339 others wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll since March 18 to 11,121 and the number of injured to 47,225. Overall casualties since the war began on October 7, 2023, have now reached 62,966 dead and 159,266 wounded. The ministry said famine and malnutrition continue to claim lives, with ten people—including three children—dying in recent hours. This brings the number of hunger-related deaths to 332, among them 124 children, underscoring the dire humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave. Meanwhile, the Israeli army maintained a military blackout over what it described as a "security incident" in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighbourhood. The incident left one Israeli soldier dead, with others wounded or missing, and triggered the forced displacement of thousands of Palestinians ahead of a new operation dubbed "Gideon's Chariots 2." Gaza's civil defence reported that 1,500 residential buildings in Zeitoun have been completely destroyed since the beginning of August. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) voiced sharp criticism of Israel's latest evacuation plan. ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City was impossible to conduct "in a safe and dignified manner" under current conditions. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking during a joint Franco–German cabinet meeting in Paris, described the humanitarian disaster in Gaza as "unacceptable," blaming the UN's famine declaration directly on restrictions to aid deliveries. He stressed that peace requires an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations on the basis of a two-state solution. Regional and international condemnation has also intensified. Hamas welcomed the joint statement by the foreign ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain denouncing Israel's operations, but called for "deterrent punitive measures" to follow. The group also endorsed a campaign launched by Reporters Without Borders and Avaaz highlighting the targeting of journalists, urging media institutions worldwide to join. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said medical staff, journalists, and humanitarian workers had been killed in Gaza at "a level unprecedented in modern history," accusing the international community of dismissing atrocities as "unfortunate incidents" while denying famine. UNICEF added that Gaza is now "the most dangerous place in the world for children," with a child killed or injured every ten minutes. In Washington, The Guardian reported that five Democratic senators had written to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging immediate aid deliveries, including infant formula, warning that children should not be subjected to "the despair and suffering witnessed in Gaza." Amid the spiralling crisis, Hamas's military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, published a message on Telegram hinting at the capture of Israeli soldiers, stating: "For those who forget... death or captivity."
