Deadly airstrikes devastate families and worsen humanitarian conditions, with UN agencies reporting sharp increases in hunger among Gaza’s children amid blocked aid and rising casualties.
DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP — The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues to escalate, as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 93 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children, in a 24-hour period, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The mounting death toll comes amid a worsening malnutrition crisis affecting tens of thousands of children in the war-ravaged enclave.
According to the United Nations, acute child malnutrition in Gaza has nearly doubled since March, when Israel drastically restricted aid entry following the collapse of a brief ceasefire. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that 10.2% of children under 5 screened at its clinics in June were acutely malnourished—up from 5.5% in March. UNICEF reported similar findings, documenting nearly 6,000 cases of malnutrition in June alone.
Devastating Airstrikes Kill Entire Families
The latest Israeli strikes included a direct hit on a home in Gaza City’s Tel Al-Hawa district, where 19 members of the same family, including eight women and six children, were killed. In another deadly strike on the Shati refugee camp, a 68-year-old Hamas lawmaker and a family of eight sheltering in the same building were among the casualties.
A separate strike on a tent sheltering displaced civilians in Tel Al-Hawa killed a man, a woman, and their two children.
The Israeli military has not commented on these latest strikes. While the IDF maintains it targets only militants, civilian deaths are mounting rapidly, with aid groups and international observers raising alarms over the lack of accountability.
Malnutrition and Aid Blockades
Since the resumption of military operations in March, Israel has permitted limited humanitarian aid into Gaza. According to the Israeli agency COGAT, only 69 aid trucks per day have been allowed to enter—far below the hundreds per day required to support Gaza’s 2 million residents.
COGAT has blamed the UN for delays in aid distribution, claiming that pallets remain uncollected. The UN counters that Israeli military restrictions and lawlessness on the ground are hampering efforts.
Meanwhile, the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by Israel and the U.S., reports it has distributed more than 70 million meal-equivalent food boxes since May. But more than 840 Palestinians have been killed and over 5,600 wounded while trying to reach GHF distribution points, often located in military-controlled areas.
Witnesses accuse Israeli forces of firing into crowds, while the military insists only warning shots were used. GHF denies any shootings occurred near its aid sites.
No Progress on Ceasefire, Violence Spills Over
Despite recent talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ceasefire negotiations remain stalled. The conflict, which reignited following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, has left more than 58,400 Palestinians dead and 139,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Over half of the casualties are women and children.
West Bank and Lebanon See New Violence
In the occupied West Bank, tensions flared after Seifeddin Musalat, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American, was reportedly beaten to death by Israeli settlers. The U.S. Ambassador called for an investigation, demanding accountability for what he called a “criminal and terrorist act.”
In neighboring Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes targeted suspected Hezbollah compounds in the Bekaa Valley, killing 12 people, including seven Syrian refugees, and injuring at least eight. Hezbollah confirmed that one of the sites hit was a water well drilling rig.
With violence spreading and humanitarian conditions deteriorating, the situation in Gaza and the broader region remains volatile, with no end in sight.
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- Gaza crisis
- child malnutrition
- Israeli strikes