Entire families are being “wiped out” as Israel steps up its bombardment of Gaza City and makeshift encampments across the enclave, with at least 28 Palestinians reported killed in air and ground attacks since dawn on Thursday.
Local sources say the intensified strikes have targeted densely populated residential neighborhoods, leaving widespread destruction and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Hamas Proposes Truce and New Gaza Administration
Amid the escalation, Hamas announced its readiness to accept the formation of an independent national administration to govern Gaza, alongside a comprehensive truce deal under which all Israeli captives would be released.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office swiftly dismissed the proposal, saying that “the war can end immediately” but only under conditions set by his cabinet.
Annexation Push in the West Bank
Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a controversial plan to annex nearly all of the occupied West Bank, urging Netanyahu to endorse the proposal. The move has drawn condemnation from Palestinian groups and is expected to stoke further tensions across the region.
Rising Humanitarian Toll
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, at least 63,746 Palestinians have been killed and 161,245 wounded in Gaza, according to health officials in the Strip. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the October 7 Hamas-led attacks, while around 200 others were taken captive.
Humanitarian agencies warn that with food, medicine, and shelter already in short supply, the latest wave of attacks is pushing Gaza’s civilian population into an ever-deepening catastrophe.
Source – My News Ghana
