Israeli forces have reportedly killed at least 67 individuals in Gaza due to airstrikes, with 30 fatalities occurring at a crowded seaside café and gunfire claiming the lives of 22 others as Palestinians sought essential food aid, according to witnesses, as well as health officials and hospitals.
An airstrike targeted the Al-Baqa Cafe in Gaza City while it was filled with women and children, said Ali Abu Ateila, who was present at the scene.
“Without any warning, out of nowhere, a warplane struck the location, shaking it like an earthquake,” he recounted.
Health Ministry emergency service head Fares Awad reported at least 30 deaths and numerous injuries.
Two additional strikes on a Gaza City street resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals, as per information from Shifa Hospital, which admitted the victims.
The café, one of the few establishments that continued operating during the 20-month conflict, served as a communal hub for residents looking to access the internet and charge their mobile devices.
Videos shared on social media displayed bloodied and disfigured bodies on the ground with the wounded being carried away in blankets.
In a separate incident, Israeli forces killed 11 individuals who were attempting to obtain food in southern Gaza, according to witnesses, hospitals, and the Gaza Health Ministry.
Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis stated they received the bodies of people shot while returning from an aid site linked to the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund.
Palestinians mourn as the bodies of those killed in Israeli strikes are brought to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
This formed part of a lethal pattern that has resulted in the deaths of over 500 Palestinians during the chaotic and controversial aid distribution program over the last month.
The shootings occurred approximately 3 kilometers from the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) site in Khan Younis as Palestinians returned from it via the only accessible route.
Palestinians frequently have to travel extensive distances to reach GHF hubs in hopes of receiving aid.
Nasser Hospital also reported another death near a GHF hub in Rafah.
Additionally, ten others were killed at a United Nations aid warehouse in northern Gaza, according to the Health Ministry’s ambulance and emergency service.
Netanyahu Plans White House Visit
The ongoing killings of Palestinians in Gaza amid Israeli strikes comes as a US official confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next week for discussions with President Donald Trump, as the US intensifies efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The day following Mr. Trump’s remarks to “Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back,” Israel’s strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, a close aide of Prime Minister Netanyahu, was also en route to Washington for discussions regarding Iran and Gaza, according to an Israeli source.
Mr. Dermer is anticipated to start meetings with Trump administration officials tomorrow, according to the Washington source.
People search through the rubble at Yafa School in the Tuffah area of Gaza City.
However, on the ground in the Palestinian enclave, signs of violence showed no signs of decreasing.
The Israeli military issued evacuation orders to residents in expansive areas of northern Gaza, leading to a new wave of displacement.
“The explosions never ceased; they bombed schools and homes. It felt like earthquakes,” recounted Salah, 60, a father of five from Gaza City.
“In the news, they mention a ceasefire is near; on the ground, we witness death and hear explosions.”
Palestinian and Egyptian sources knowledgeable about the current ceasefire efforts noted that mediators Qatar and Egypt are enhancing their communications with both warring sides, but no date has been confirmed for a new round of truce discussions.
A Hamas official stated that progress hinges on Israel altering its stance and agreeing to end the conflict and withdraw from Gaza. Israel claims it will only conclude the war once Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.
Hamas, however, refuses to disarm.
Yafa School was entirely destroyed in a late-night attack by Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar affirmed that Israel has agreed to a US-proposed 60-day ceasefire and hostage deal, placing the responsibility on Hamas.
“Israel is genuinely committed to reaching a hostage agreement and ceasefire in Gaza,” he told reporters.
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, speaking in Jerusalem alongside her Israeli counterpart, acknowledged that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has grown “unbearable.”
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“The suffering of civilians increasingly strains Israel’s relations with Europe. A ceasefire must be negotiated,” she remarked, urging for the unconditional release of hostages by Hamas and for Israel to permit the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The US has proposed a 60-day ceasefire alongside the release of half of the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the remains of other Palestinians.
Hamas would release the remaining hostages as part of an agreement that guarantees the conclusion of the war.
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The current phase of the conflict began when Hamas fighters launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza in a surprise assault that led to Israel’s deadliest day.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 56,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, displacing almost the entire population of 2.3 million and plunging the region into a humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN, over 80% of the territory is now classified as an Israeli-militarized zone or under displacement orders.
Additional Reporting by Reuters
