KEY POINTS
- Gaza war death toll tops 66,000 since October 7, 2023, with over 168,000 wounded.
- Israeli tanks advance deeper into Gaza City, cutting off neighbourhoods and trapping civilians.
- Al-Shifa Hospital under pressure as Israeli armour restricts access; 159 patients remain inside.
- UNRWA warns of famine and displacement; infant dies of malnutrition at Nasser Hospital.
- Netanyahu rejects ceasefire, while Trump signals optimism for deal to end war and free hostages.
GAZA CITY, Palestine: At least 77 Palestinians, including six people seeking aid, were killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, the territory’s health ministry said on Sunday, as tanks pushed deeper into Gaza City and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with the war.
The health ministry said two more bodies were recovered from rubble overnight. Since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 66,005 people and wounded over 168,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry. UN agencies and independent experts say its figures are the most reliable available.
Witnesses and medics reported Israeli tanks advancing into the Sabra, Tel al-Hawa, Sheikh Radwan and al-Naser neighbourhoods of Gaza City, cutting into areas where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped.
Health officials said they were unable to respond to dozens of calls for help, leaving many injured stranded under Israeli fire.
Famine and mass displacement
Muhammad Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, told AP that Israeli armour had moved close to the hospital and was restricting access. “The bombardment hasn’t ceased for a single moment,” he said, adding that 159 patients are still inside.
The renewed offensive comes as international pressure mounts on Israel to agree to a ceasefire. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told the UN General Assembly that Palestinians’ suffering “must not be ignored”, citing famine and mass displacement.
On Saturday, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported the death of an infant from malnutrition, one of dozens of children to have died from hunger this year.
Airstrikes early Saturday killed nine members of one family in Nuseirat refugee camp and 11 others, mostly women and children, in Gaza City’s Tufah neighbourhood, local hospitals said.
Four more people died in the Shati camp. Six Palestinians were shot dead while seeking aid in central and southern Gaza, according to medics.
Efforts to end war
Netanyahu, addressing the UN General Assembly on Friday, said Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas, prompting walkouts by dozens of delegates.
His defiance contrasted with US President Donald Trump, who told reporters he was optimistic about a deal to “end the war” and “get the hostages back.” Trump and Netanyahu are expected to meet on Monday at the White House.
Inside Israel, divisions are widening. Far-right ministers including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich warned Netanyahu against any ceasefire, insisting Hamas must be defeated and rejecting any recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, however, signalled he would support a truce in exchange for the release of captives, calling far-right threats “empty.”
Calls for ceasefire
Diplomatic pressure is also building abroad. San Marino announced it would formally recognise the State of Palestine, joining more than 80% of UN members.
Meanwhile, a flotilla of 10 vessels carrying aid and elected officials from nine countries set sail from Sicily, aiming to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
In Israel, thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding a deal to free hostages and halt the war. Protesters held banners reading “Bring Them Home Now” and appealed directly to Trump to press Netanyahu.
Protests in Europe demanding end to war
Protests also erupted in Europe, with tens of thousands marching through Berlin calling for an end to what organisers labelled “genocide” in Gaza. Police estimated 60,000 attended, while organisers put the figure closer to 100,000.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest strikes. It has previously said it is targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure embedded among civilians.
Hospitals across Gaza are at breaking point. Doctors Without Borders said Friday it had suspended operations in Gaza City, citing “unacceptable risk” to its staff as tanks closed in. Two clinics have been destroyed and two hospitals shut down in the latest fighting, health officials said.
The United Nations says aid deliveries into northern Gaza have been halted since Sept. 12, worsening famine conditions for hundreds of thousands still trapped in the enclave’s north.
