Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill 34 as Nations Plan Palestine Move

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Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City late Saturday night and into Sunday killed at least 34 people, including children, according to health officials in the territory. The strikes targeted residential areas in the famine-hit city, leaving families shattered and worsening a humanitarian crisis that has already displaced nearly the entire population. Most of the victims were brought to Shifa Hospital, where doctors said the dead included a nurse, his wife, and their three children.

The renewed bombing campaign is part of a wider Israeli military operation launched earlier this week. Israel has not commented on the latest strikes, but it has repeatedly said its ongoing offensive is intended to put pressure on Hamas to release hostages and eventually surrender. Officials have not given a clear timeline for how long the operation will last, though many observers believe it could continue for months.

For ordinary Palestinians in Gaza, the destruction and loss of life have become unbearable. Over the past 23 months, Israeli bombardments and ground operations have killed more than 65,000 people, leveled entire neighborhoods, and forced about 90 percent of the population from their homes. Aid groups warn that famine is spreading across Gaza City, with children among the most vulnerable. The hunger is so severe that many families are left without the strength to flee or the means to survive.

The escalation coincides with a significant diplomatic shift on the international stage. Several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, Malta, Belgium, and Luxembourg, are preparing to formally recognise a Palestinian state during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Portugal announced its recognition a day earlier, adding momentum to the movement. For many governments, statehood recognition is viewed as a step towards peace negotiations and a potential way out of a conflict that has dragged on for decades.

Inside Israel, peace activists and civil society groups are also speaking out. A coalition of more than 60 Jewish and Arab organisations representing around 1,000 activists released a joint statement and video message calling for an end to the war. They urged the government to secure the release of hostages and to seize what they described as a historic opportunity to pursue peace through recognition of a Palestinian state. Their message emphasized that Israelis and Palestinians cannot continue living “forever by the sword” and called for a future of security and freedom for both peoples.

The demand for peace was echoed by large protests on Saturday night, where tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated against the continuation of the war. Protesters carried signs demanding a ceasefire and pressed for an agreement to bring home hostages still held in Gaza. Families of those hostages have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of risking their loved ones’ lives by refusing to prioritize negotiations over continued fighting.

Meanwhile, Israel has instructed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still sheltering in Gaza City to leave and move south to what it calls a humanitarian zone. Military authorities opened a corridor south of the city for a limited time this week to allow evacuations. Along the coastal Wadi Gaza route, people could be seen walking long distances under harsh conditions. Families paused to rest, offering children breaks from the exhausting journey. Despite the movement, many families are refusing to leave again, either because they are too weak, cannot afford to move, or fear they will never return. Aid groups caution that forced evacuation on such a large scale will deepen the crisis, with too little food and medical help reaching those in need.

Religious leaders have also weighed in. During his Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV condemned what he called the “forced exile” of Palestinians from Gaza. He described the territory as a “martyred land” and said its future cannot be built on violence and revenge. He praised the efforts of Catholic charities and aid organisations working in Gaza and renewed his appeal for peace.

The Israeli military, in a statement on Sunday, claimed that one of those killed in Gaza, Majed Abu Selmiya, was a Hamas sniper preparing attacks in the city. However, his brother, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, who directs Shifa Hospital, denied the allegations, calling them false. He said Majed was 57 years old, suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, and poor eyesight, and could not have been involved in military activity. He accused Israel of using unproven claims to justify the killing of civilians.

The war shows little sign of ending soon. With Gaza under siege and Israel pressing ahead with its offensive, the death toll continues to rise. Ceasefire efforts remain out of reach. At the same time, the recognition of a Palestinian state by several countries at the United Nations could alter the political landscape of the conflict. Supporters of recognition argue that it opens a door to peace, while opponents fear it could further complicate negotiations.

For people living in Gaza, however, international diplomacy feels distant compared to the daily struggle for survival. As bombs continue to fall and families are forced to leave what remains of their homes, life in the territory has become a fight against hunger, fear, and uncertainty. Each new day brings more displacement, more grief, and more unanswered questions about when the violence will end.

United Nations General Assembly