Israel has officially declared Gaza City, the largest urban center in the Gaza Strip, a war zone. The announcement came on Friday after the bodies of two hostages were recovered in the area. According to the Israeli army, this step marks the beginning of a larger military offensive, even as international condemnation grows against the escalation.
The city, already devastated by months of bombardment, is now the focal point of Israel’s operations. Despite nearly two years of intense attacks, officials contend that Gaza City is still the site of a massive network of underground tunnels and is still the heartland of Hamas.
Casualties Continue to Mount
The human cost of the ongoing conflict is staggering. In the last 22 months of violence, more than 63,025 people have been murdered in Gaza, according to health authorities. In just the last 24 hours, hospitals registered 59 additional deaths.
Reports also state that 159,490 people have been injured, overwhelming medical facilities that are already struggling due to shortages of supplies and electricity. Malnutrition has also taken a deadly toll—322 people, including 121 children, have died of starvation-related causes since the war began.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Aid groups and faith-based shelters inside Gaza City have declared they will not leave, promising to continue supporting hungry and homeless families despite the dangers. With millions experiencing food insecurity and displacement, the humanitarian catastrophe has significantly deteriorated.
Eyewitness accounts from residents paint a dire picture. Gaza resident Mohammed Abul Hadi wrote in a message: “Genocide never stopped, not even during the so-called humanitarian pauses.”
Meanwhile, families displaced from northern Gaza were seen setting up makeshift tents near the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Mohammed Marouf, who fled with his nine family members, described their suffering: “We have been thrown onto the streets. What can I say? We are not even treated like dogs—dogs live better than us.”
International Criticism Grows
Israel’s military action has drawn sharp criticism from United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations. Despite global calls for restraint, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the move, saying: “To ensure that an attack like October 7, 2023, never happens again, it is necessary to destroy Hamas’s power in Gaza City.”
Israel disputes the casualty figures reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run administration. However, UN and independent observers regard the ministry’s data as the most reliable source available.
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Escalating Conflict and Fear of Expansion
Friday morning saw smoke plumes and loud explosions visible from southern Israel as military operations intensified on Gaza City’s outskirts. Analysts warn that the escalation could displace even more people and worsen the humanitarian catastrophe already unfolding in the enclave.
With more than 63,000 deaths and 159,000 injuries reported, the war has become one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent decades, raising urgent questions about how long civilians can endure under such conditions.
