Israeli airstrikes devastate Gaza, killing at least 70 people including children

Israeli airstrikes struck both northern and southern Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 70 people—including nearly two dozen children—according to local hospitals and health officials. 

The bombardment came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel's military campaign in Gaza would not stop until Hamas is completely defeated.

In northern Gaza’s Jabaliya area alone, at least 50 people were killed, including 22 children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and local hospitals.

The strikes followed Hamas’ release of an Israeli-American hostage on Monday—a move some interpreted as a potential opening for ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump was on a multi-day tour of Gulf nations, including a stop in Saudi Arabia.

The Israeli military did not comment on the airstrikes but had issued evacuation warnings to Jabaliya residents late Tuesday, citing the presence of Hamas military infrastructure, including rocket launchers.

Rescue teams in Jabaliya worked through the night, using hand tools and cellphone lights to recover the bodies of children trapped under rubble.

Netanyahu Signals Imminent Escalation

Netanyahu, in statements released Tuesday, said Israel was preparing for a major escalation and would soon intensify its ground operations in Gaza. “We will enter Gaza with great force to complete the mission—destroying Hamas,” he said.

Hopes had been high that Trump’s Middle East visit might help secure a ceasefire or lead to renewed humanitarian aid for Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade for three months.

The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack in 2023 that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel. Since then, Israel's military response has claimed the lives of more than 52,928 Palestinians—many of them women and children—according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Nearly 3,000 have died since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18.

The Israeli offensive has left large parts of Gaza in ruins and forced 90% of the population to flee their homes, many more than once.

Hospital Strike Targets Hamas Leader’s Brother

Israeli media reported that one of the airstrikes on a hospital in Khan Younis targeted Mohammed Sinwar, younger brother of the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces last October. The military stated only that it had targeted a Hamas "command and control center" located beneath the European Hospital.

Mohammed Sinwar is believed to be Hamas’ top military commander in Gaza. Israel has made multiple attempts on his life over the years.

A senior Gaza health official said ambulances could no longer reach the hospital due to damage from the strike, which also forced the suspension of surgeries. Dr. Marwan al-Hams, Director General of Field Hospitals, said the attack had damaged water, sewage, and outdoor areas of the hospital. A bulldozer brought in to repair access was also hit, he said.

“Until the damage is repaired, most hospital departments will have to shut down,” al-Hams added, noting he had no confirmation of Israel’s claimed target.

France Slams Israeli Blockade Amid Growing Hunger Crisis

International food security experts warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine unless Israel lifts its blockade and halts its military actions.

Nearly half a million Palestinians are facing potential starvation, while another one million are struggling to find enough to eat, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global authority on hunger crises.

French President Emmanuel Macron harshly criticized Netanyahu’s blockade of humanitarian aid, calling it “a disgrace” that has fueled a severe humanitarian emergency.

“What Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is doing today is unacceptable,” Macron said on national television. “There’s no medicine. The wounded can’t be evacuated. Doctors can’t enter.”

Macron, who visited injured Palestinians in Egypt last month, called for reopening Gaza’s borders to aid. “Yes, we must dismantle Hamas, free the hostages, and find a political solution,” he said.

Netanyahu responded by accusing Macron of parroting the propaganda of a violent extremist group.

With Gaza’s 2.3 million residents almost entirely dependent on external aid, Israel’s prolonged campaign has nearly erased the region’s ability to produce food. Markets are bare, and the prices of what little remains have soared.

Aid Kitchens Shutting Down Under Blockade

The United Nations reported that the number of meals provided by charity kitchens has plummeted to around 260,000 per day under the ongoing blockade—down from over 1 million daily in late April.

These kitchens serve as the final source of food for many Gazans, but they are quickly shutting down as supplies dwindle. In the first two weeks of May alone, more than 60% of kitchens—112 in total—closed, leaving only 68 still operational, according to the U.N.

The World Health Organization added that current supplies are only sufficient to treat 500 children with severe malnutrition—a fraction of those in need. Thousands of children have already been diagnosed in recent weeks.

Israel maintains the blockade is intended to pressure Hamas into releasing remaining hostages and disarming. Israeli authorities have claimed that food supplies are adequate, citing a recent surge of aid that entered during a two-month ceasefire.