ISLAMABAD: Israel said it had seized control of 40 percent of Gaza City, as its ground and air offensive left at least 53 more Palestinians dead in a single day. The majority of casualties were reported in the besieged city, where Israeli forces pushed deeper into residential districts.
Residents described heavy shelling across Zeitoun, Sabra, Tuffah, and Shejaia in the last 24 hours, while tanks stormed Sheikh Radwan in the city’s northwest, burning tents and flattening homes. In Tel al-Hawa, AFP footage showed families picking through the remains of destroyed shelters.
Further south, in Nuseirat refugee camp, an air raid killed seven people, including three children. At Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, bodies wrapped in white shrouds covered the morgue floor, highlighting the unrelenting civilian toll of Israel’s campaign.
Israel’s Expanding Operation
Brigadier General Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, claimed forces now held Zeitoun and Sheikh Radwan. He warned the offensive would “expand and intensify in the coming days.”
Israeli media reported that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told ministers that military rule would be imposed in Gaza unless a “day-after” plan emerged — signalling the absence of a political roadmap and raising fears of long-term occupation.
Humanitarian groups warn that the destruction of entire neighbourhoods risks rendering Gaza uninhabitable, while hundreds of thousands remain displaced in makeshift tents and overcrowded hospitals.
Vatican Calls for Ceasefire
As the humanitarian crisis deepened, Pope Leo urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to agree to a permanent ceasefire during a meeting at the Vatican. The pontiff pressed for the release of prisoners and hostages, while calling for urgent humanitarian access to Gaza’s most devastated areas.
“A prompt resumption of negotiations was hoped for … to urgently achieve a permanent ceasefire and ensure full respect for humanitarian law,” the Vatican said in a statement.
The appeal underscored mounting global concern that Israel’s military operations are eroding any prospect of a political solution and violating fundamental human rights.
Accusations of Genocide
One of the European Union’s top officials broke ranks on Thursday, openly calling Israel’s war a “genocide.” European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera said the devastation in Gaza exposed Europe’s moral failure to act.
“The genocide in Gaza exposes Europe’s failure to act and speak with one voice,” Ribera told a gathering in Paris. Her remarks highlighted growing frustration among EU leaders, some of whom are demanding accountability for Israeli actions.
Despite mounting evidence of mass civilian killings, most EU officials have avoided using the term genocide, deferring instead to international courts. The hesitation has deepened divisions within the bloc as pressure for stronger action grows.
US Sanctions Palestinian Rights Groups
Meanwhile, the United States sanctioned three leading Palestinian human rights organisations — Al-Haq, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), and Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights. All three have documented alleged Israeli war crimes and submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the groups of “directly engaging in efforts” to prosecute Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, who face ICC arrest warrants.
Rights defenders condemned Washington’s decision as an attempt to shield Israel from accountability, while silencing organisations that have for decades been at the forefront of documenting abuses against Palestinians.
A Worsening Humanitarian Catastrophe
As Israel expands its offensive into Gaza City, civilian suffering continues to deepen. With hospitals overwhelmed, families displaced, and refugee camps bombed, Palestinians face one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st century.
Global calls for a ceasefire are growing louder, but Israel’s leadership shows little willingness to halt the war. Critics argue the campaign is designed not only to dismantle Hamas but to break the very fabric of Palestinian society.
