KEY POINTS
- Israeli strikes killed at least 87 Palestinians in 24 hours, raising Gaza’s death toll above 64,444.
- Heavy bombardment in Gaza City left 45 dead; hospitals report famine-related child deaths.
- More than 70% of Gaza City’s buildings destroyed; residents face repeated displacement.
- Israel demands Hamas release hostages and disarm; Hamas offers releases if Israel withdraws.
- UN and NGOs warn of mass displacement, famine, and at least one child killed every hour.
GAZA CITY, Palestine: Israeli attacks killed at least 87 more Palestinians in the past 24 hours across Gaza, the territory’s health ministry said on Sunday, pushing the total death toll in the territory to more than 64,444 since October 2023.
The escalation came as Israel again urged Hamas to surrender while its forces pressed deeper into Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians are sheltering amid worsening famine.
Heavy bombardment of Gaza City
The health ministry reported that 45 of those killed overnight were in Gaza City, which has become the focus of Israel’s offensive.
Local hospitals confirmed that five people, including three children, died of famine and malnutrition in the same period.
Hospital sources, cited by Al Jazeera, said that 58 Palestinians had been killed since Sunday morning, including 37 in Gaza City and the northern Strip.
Hamad Hospital reported that 10 people were killed and 70 wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds seeking aid.
The Israeli military confirmed striking the al-Soussi residential tower, claiming it was used by Hamas, according to Haaretz newspaper. Hamas denied the allegation and condemned the attack as a “crime”.
Vast destruction and displacement
Local reports said Israel has destroyed more than 70 percent of buildings in Gaza City as its campaign against high-rises expands.
Israeli forces also struck a school sheltering displaced families, killing 14 people, according to local health officials.
The Israeli military told Reuters it had targeted a Hamas fighters and had warned civilians in advance.
Residents described scenes of devastation. “We want a ceasefire, end this war before Gaza City is turned into ruins like Rafah,” said Emad, a Gaza City resident. “How many lives are going to be wasted? Enough is enough.”
Israeli conditions and Hamas response
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters in Jerusalem that the war would end if Hamas released hostages and laid down its weapons. “We will be more than happy to reach this objective with political means,” he said.
Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters that the group would release hostages if Israel withdrew its forces and ended the war, but rejected demands for disarmament.
Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive. Most releases so far have been mediated through indirect talks.
International concern grows
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, visiting Jerusalem, urged Israel to “change course” and halt its campaign.
“We are extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation,” he said, while also calling for hostages to be freed.
Talks on allowing injured Gazans to receive treatment in the West Bank or abroad have stalled, with Israel citing security concerns.
UN agencies and NGOs warned of mounting risks to children. Unicef said almost one million Palestinians face displacement in Gaza City, half of them children.
“Life is becoming almost impossible for them,” Unicef spokesperson Tess Ingram told Al Jazeera, describing forced displacement as a “catastrophe”.
Save the Children said at least one child is killed every hour on average in Gaza, calling the toll a “horrific new low”.
Protests abroad and at home
In London, police arrested more than 425 people during a demonstration in support of the banned Palestine Action group.
The Metropolitan Police said most were detained for supporting a proscribed organisation, while 25 others were arrested for alleged assaults on officers and public order offences.
Inside Israel, thousands of demonstrators joined hostage families in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, calling for an end to the war.
“We want to call for change and for peace. To bring them home because the government won’t do it,” said Nimrod Cohen Bar-Eli, 29, at the rally.
The conflict, now in its 23rd month, began after the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that killed around 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 taken hostage.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has since killed tens of thousands, with aid agencies warning of mass starvation and a collapse of basic services across the territory.
