Israel has intensified its assault on Gaza’s largest urban centre, with relentless bombardments and forced starvation killing more than 62,000 Palestinians since the war began nearly two years ago, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israeli forces are escalating their military campaign in Gaza City, destroying residential areas with heavy artillery, drones, and fighter jets. At least 30 Palestinians were killed on Monday alone, including 14 people struck while seeking food aid.

Among the victims was journalist Islam al-Koumi, who died in an airstrike on the al-Sabra neighbourhood. Local sources report widespread displacement as families flee bombed-out homes, while others remain trapped due to poverty or fear.

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“We can see how Israel is using heavy artillery, fighter jets and drones, in order to destroy what’s left of residential homes,” Al Jazeera’s correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum said, describing the devastation as “extremely overwhelming.”

Civilians trapped amid displacement

Many Palestinians in Gaza City say moving south is impossible. Displaced resident Bilal Abu Sitta explained, “How am I supposed to even get there? I need nearly $900 to move – I don’t even have a dollar.”

Others refuse to trust Israeli assurances of safety. “We don’t want Israel to give us anything,” said Noaman Hamad. “We want them to allow us back to the homes we fled.”

Healthcare centres in Gaza City have also been targeted, worsening the humanitarian crisis for families sheltering in ruins, makeshift tents, or overcrowded classrooms.

Starvation as a weapon of war

Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that five more Palestinians, including two children, died from malnutrition in the past 24 hours. This raises the toll of starvation-related deaths to 263 people, among them 112 children.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that more than 320,000 children under five in Gaza are at risk of acute malnutrition. Families are surviving on meagre rations with little nutritional value, while aid agencies stress the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow large-scale food deliveries.

UNRWA noted that instead of preparing for school, Gaza’s children are now queuing for food, searching for clean water, and living in overcrowded shelters.

Amid the destruction, a faint hope for relief emerged as Hamas said it had approved a ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatar and Egypt. According to an informed source, the draft deal would allow a 60-day truce, include the release of half the Israeli captives held in Gaza, and secure the freedom of an unspecified number of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.