At least 64 killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since dawn

Gaza City (Web Desk): Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed at least 64 people over the past 24 hours, according to a report by Al Jazeera on Thursday.

The dead include a journalist, with the heaviest toll occurring in the central Gaza area of Bureij, where 23 people lost their lives in a wave of attacks. Another 10 Palestinians were killed while attempting to receive aid from a U.S.-backed organization, as confirmed by Gaza’s health ministry. Medical staff at Al-Awda and Al-Aqsa hospitals reported they spent no less than 30 minutes retrieving bodies and injured individuals from the bombed sites.

The Government Media Office released a statement accusing Israeli forces of opening direct fire on hungry civilians who had gathered at an aid distribution point, injuring at least 62 people. This incident adds to growing outrage over how humanitarian aid is being handled in the besieged enclave.

Meanwhile, the Gaza Journalists Syndicate announced the death of Palestinian journalist Moataz Raja, who they said was “assassinated” by the Israeli army while covering the war in Gaza. According to the syndicate, an Israeli aircraft struck the civilian vehicle Raja was in on al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City, killing him instantly. With his death, the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, has reached at least 221.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, condemned the Israeli actions, stating that Israel is “using aid as a weapon of war.” The Gaza health ministry reported that since the collapse of a ceasefire on March 18, at least 3,785 people have been killed, bringing the total death toll from the war to 53,939, most of them civilians, according to AFP.

The war has caused massive displacement, with about 90% of Gaza’s estimated 2 million residents forced to flee their homes. Hunger has reached crisis levels, and large parts of the territory lie in ruins due to continuous bombardment. Since the beginning of Israel’s offensive in October 2023, at least 61,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, according to Al Jazeera.

In response to the escalating humanitarian disaster and alleged war crimes, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Both face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to their roles in the Gaza conflict. Additionally, Israel is currently the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its military actions in the enclave.