At least 60 people, including women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday across Gaza, according to Palestinian medical sources. The deadliest attacks occurred in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, where homes and tents sheltering displaced civilians were bombarded.
Among the casualties was journalist Hassan Samour of Hamas-run Aqsa radio, who died alongside 11 members of his family when their home was destroyed. The Israeli military has not commented on the latest strikes, which come amid its continued offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas following the group’s deadly 2023 attacks on Israel.
A separate strike also hit the Hmeid family’s residence in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
With nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced, humanitarian conditions have deteriorated sharply. “We live in a constant state of violence and displacement,” said Ahmed Hamad, a resident of Gaza City who has fled multiple times.
Meanwhile, during a tour of Middle Eastern nations, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his vision of turning Gaza into a “freedom zone.” Visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, Trump described Gaza as “a territory of death and destruction” and said the U.S. would be “proud” to redevelop it for peace and progress.
However, aid has not reached Gaza since March 2, and international monitors warn that nearly 500,000 people now face starvation. Efforts at brokering a ceasefire, involving Qatari and Egyptian mediators, have seen little progress.
Trump declined to answer whether Israel had obstructed peace efforts, stating only, “We’re working very hard on Gaza.”
