Israeli forces have tragically taken the lives of at least 67 people in Gaza due to airstrikes and gunfire, with several incidents leaving many in dire need of food aid. According to witnesses and health officials, one airstrike struck the Al-Baqa Cafe in Gaza City, a location bustling with women and children at the time.
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Ali Abu Ateila, who experienced the attack firsthand, recounted, “Without warning, a warplane hit the place, shaking it like an earthquake.” This incident resulted in at least 30 fatalities and numerous injuries, as noted by Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministry’s emergency and ambulance service in northern Gaza.
Further strikes on a nearby street claimed an additional 15 lives, according to Shifa Hospital, where the victims were taken. The Al-Baqa Cafe had stood as one of the few operational establishments throughout the enduring conflict, becoming a vital meeting point for locals seeking internet access and a place to charge their phones.
Disturbing footage circulating on social media depicts bloodied and disfigured bodies being carried away in blankets, illuminating the horror of the situation. Meanwhile, another 11 Palestinian lives were lost while they were attempting to secure food in southern Gaza, with accounts from witnesses and health officials confirming these tragic events.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving the bodies of individuals shot while returning from an aid site linked to the Israeli and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund. Sadly, this violence has become part of a broader trend that has already cost over 500 Palestinian lives in the tumultuous month of aid distribution.
These latest shootings occurred approximately 3 kilometers from the GHF site in Khan Younis, as desperate Palestinians navigated the only accessible route back from the aid site. Another individual was reported killed near a GHF hub in the southern city of Rafah, while ten others lost their lives at a United Nations aid distribution warehouse in northern Gaza, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency service.
U.S. Diplomatic Efforts Amidst Ongoing Violence
This wave of violence unfolds as U.S. officials have confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House for discussions with President Donald Trump next week, amid rising pressures for a ceasefire in Gaza. Following Mr. Trump’s call to “Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back,” Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, is also on his way to Washington to discuss both Iran and Gaza.
However, on the ground in Gaza, signs of relief seem distant. The Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for large neighborhoods in northern Gaza, prompting renewed waves of displacement. Salah, a father of five from Gaza City, expressed, “Explosions never stopped; they bombed schools and homes. It felt like earthquakes. In the news we hear a ceasefire is near; on the ground, we see death and hear explosions.”
Sources within both Palestinian and Egyptian circles indicate that Qatar and Egypt have intensified their efforts to mediate between the conflicting parties, yet no date has been set for a new round of ceasefire discussions. A Hamas official suggested that meaningful progress hinges on Israel’s readiness to reconsider its stance on ending the conflict and withdrawing from Gaza, an outcome Israel insists is contingent upon Hamas’s disarmament—something Hamas steadfastly declines.
The Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
In the midst of this turmoil, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has indicated that Israel is open to a U.S.-proposed 60-day ceasefire and hostage deal, placing the responsibility for progress squarely on Hamas. He stated, “Israel is serious in its will to reach a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza.”
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, speaking in Jerusalem, pointed out that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become “unbearable,” emphasizing, “The suffering of civilians is increasingly burdening Israel’s relations with Europe. A ceasefire must be agreed upon.” She reiterated calls for the unconditional release of hostages by Hamas while urging Israel to permit a steady flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The current phase of conflict was ignited when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals—mostly civilians—and the capture of 251 hostages in what has been described as Israel’s deadliest day. In response, Israel’s military campaign has reportedly resulted in the deaths of more than 56,000 Palestinians, primarily civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ongoing violence has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, which numbers about 2.3 million, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
As the United Nations notes, over 80% of Gaza has become a militarized zone or is under displacement orders. The unfolding situation underscores a profound humanitarian urgency that cannot be ignored.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadale Times International – Monitoring.
