At least 81 Palestinians were killed on Thursday as Israel began its long-anticipated assault on Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban centre, where nearly a million people remain trapped in worsening famine conditions.
Three more Palestinians also died of starvation, bringing the toll of hunger-related deaths to 269, including 112 children, according to Gaza health officials.
Israeli airstrikes and shelling struck across the Strip, including a tent shelter for displaced families in southern Gaza, killing three.
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In another deadly incident, former Palestinian national basketball player Mohammed Shaalan was shot dead while seeking aid. At least 30 others were killed at food distribution points, witnesses said.
Famine deepens as blockade tightens
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) warned that malnutrition is now widespread:
“This isn’t just hunger. This is starvation,” the agency said, noting that nearly 1 in 3 children in Gaza City is malnourished.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) described conditions as “catastrophic,” with doctors and aid workers walking long distances under fire to reach posts. Gaza’s civil defence authority warned it can no longer respond effectively to emergencies due to fuel shortages caused by the blockade.
Israeli rights group Gisha accused Israel of using its control of aid as “a weapon of war since day one,” rejecting Israeli claims that the UN was to blame for blocked aid deliveries.
Israel escalates assault on Gaza city
The Israeli military confirmed it has begun the first stages of its planned takeover of Gaza City, calling up 60,000 reservists for the campaign. Tanks have already pushed closer to the city centre in recent days.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned the offensive risks “another mass displacement of people who’ve been displaced repeatedly since the war began.”
Relatives of Israeli captives condemned the assault, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of rejecting a Hamas-approved ceasefire proposal and ignoring families’ pleas. Hamas said Israel’s Gaza City push shows it intends to “destroy the city and displace its residents.”
International response and ceasefire talks
Mediators from Qatar and Egypt are awaiting Israel’s response to the latest 60-day truce proposal, which includes a phased exchange of captives and prisoners and expanded humanitarian access. Hamas has already signaled agreement.
Netanyahu has not publicly commented, but insists any deal must guarantee “all hostages are released at once.”
Save the Children’s regional director Ahmed Alhendawi described Gaza’s plight as “an apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation.”
Al Jazeera analyst Marwan Bishara said Arab states must pressure Washington:
“The Israelis are of two minds: preparing for re-occupation and ethnic cleansing, while also facing domestic pressure to secure hostages through a deal.”
