"Gaza Under Siege: Death Toll Rises Amid Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

The humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip continues to escalate, as the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that 113 people were killed in the past 24 hours. Among the dead were 33 individuals waiting for humanitarian aid. The ministry reported that 304 others were injured as a result of the ongoing Israeli aerial and artillery bombardment, bringing the total death toll since the beginning of the war to 63,746 people.

The health crisis in the enclave is worsening. In addition to the casualties from the strikes, the Ministry of Health recorded six new deaths from starvation and malnutrition, including one child. This brings the total number of deaths from malnutrition to 367, with 131 of them being children, a clear indication of the depth of the humanitarian catastrophe.

A Family's Tragedy Under Fire

The Israeli bombardment continues to claim lives, with more than 15 Palestinians killed since dawn. In one particularly tragic story, four Palestinians, including a pregnant woman, were killed in an attack on a residential apartment near the fishing port west of Gaza City. In a poignant testimony to the BBC, the mother of the pregnant woman described the moments of terror she experienced: "We were sleeping, and suddenly we woke up to sounds. Everything around us was dark, and thick smoke filled the room. Then I went to my daughter's room, where her husband and children were, and I found them all dead. My daughter was seven months pregnant, and I found the fetus dead next to her." The grieving mother asked, "Why all this bombing? Her husband and her daughters, who were lying on their faces, were also killed."

Israeli Military Escalation and Palestinian Displacement

Amidst this escalation, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that more than 76,000 Palestinians have been displaced over the past two weeks from Gaza City, where a famine has been declared. This comes as tens of thousands of Israeli reservists are reporting for duty, with the government planning to expand its offensive to take control of the entire city.

Gaza residents have expressed their despair. "We are fed up, where can we go?" said Abu Yahya, a displaced man. "We were displaced from the north to the south, and then we returned to the north. We need $1,000 to move by car, and we don't have a single dollar. The Palestinian people have collapsed." Another displaced resident stated, "We are no longer afraid of death and life. In any case, we will die today or tomorrow. If the Israeli army wants to invade the Gaza Strip, let them."

Other Developments: From Yemen to Jerusalem

On another front, the Israeli army announced it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, stating it was headed toward Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Ben Gurion Airport. According to Israel's army radio, five ballistic missiles and two drones have been launched since the assassination of the Yemeni prime minister loyal to the Houthi Ansar Allah movement and several other ministers.

In Jerusalem, "Day of Disruptions" protests have begun, organized by the families of hostages and their supporters, demanding an end to the war and a deal to release the captives. The protests have focused on the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Gaza Street, where demonstrators set up tents and lit fires. The protests are scheduled to continue at several locations in the city, including the Knesset and Gaza Street, and will conclude with a central march on Saturday evening.

Controversial Political Statements

In a political development, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said at a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday that his government would not allow Israeli cities to become like the Gaza envelope areas. He asserted that "imposing sovereignty over the West Bank" is a realistic step to counter the political attack on Israel. Smotrich added that the US administration supports Israel's decision to eliminate the idea of a Palestinian state, stressing that his government's goal is to completely eradicate that idea.

In response to Smotrich's statements, Hamas official Abdul Hakim Hanini said they are "proof of the settlement government's approach, which is committing genocide in Gaza and seeking to impose annexation and displacement in the West Bank." Hanini affirmed that the Palestinian people "will remain steadfast and committed to their principles and historical rights," and that Israel's attempts "to impose new realities on the ground or cancel the right of Palestinians to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital will not succeed.