CAIRO — At least 60 people, including many women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to Palestinian medics. The attacks primarily targeted residential areas and makeshift shelters in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Among the victims was journalist Hassan Samour of Hamas-run Aqsa radio, who died with 11 relatives when their home was struck. The Israeli military has not commented on the latest escalation, which comes as it ramps up efforts to eliminate Hamas in response to the group’s deadly 2023 attack on Israel.
Hamas accused Israel of using military force to pressure negotiations while indirect ceasefire talks—mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt—continue in Doha. President Donald Trump, currently visiting several Gulf states, has been expected to advocate for a truce.
Thursday’s strikes coincided with Nakba Day, when Palestinians remember the 1948 displacement of hundreds of thousands during the founding of Israel. Many in Gaza say the current crisis is even more devastating.
“What we are experiencing now is even worse than the Nakba,” said Ahmed Hamad, a displaced resident of Gaza City. “We live in fear and destruction every day.”
The death toll continues to climb, with at least 80 reported dead from attacks the previous day. Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, little progress has been made. Hamas has offered to release all remaining hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the war must continue until Hamas is dismantled.
Since the conflict began, over 52,900 Palestinians have been killed, local officials report. Humanitarian aid has not entered Gaza since March 2, leaving nearly half a million people at risk of starvation, according to global relief monitors. A U.S.-backed aid initiative is expected to launch by the end of May but faces logistical hurdles and urgent humanitarian needs.