Families ‘Wiped Out’ as Israel Intensifies Strikes on Gaza City

Gaza City — Israeli air strikes on Gaza City and surrounding areas have intensified, killing at least 28 Palestinians since Thursday morning and devastating entire families, according to local health officials and eyewitnesses.

Among the survivors is three-year-old Ibrahim al-Mabhuh, who lost both parents and two sisters in an overnight air strike on their home. Images from the scene show his grandmother holding him in shock amid the rubble, highlighting the growing toll on civilians in the besieged territory.

Health authorities in Gaza report that residential areas and makeshift encampments are increasingly being targeted, with families caught in relentless bombardments that have leveled homes and infrastructure.

The ongoing conflict, now entering its 11th month, has claimed at least 63,746 lives in Gaza and left 161,245 wounded, according to figures released by Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The war began on October 7, 2023, after a surprise attack by Hamas that killed 1,139 people in Israel and saw around 200 hostages taken into Gaza.

In a rare public statement, Hamas said it is open to forming an independent national administration to govern the Gaza Strip and is prepared for a comprehensive truce that would include the release of all Israeli captives.

However, the proposal was swiftly rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which reiterated that the war could end “immediately” if Hamas agrees to the conditions already laid out by the Israeli cabinet.

Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has introduced a controversial plan to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, further escalating tensions in the region. Smotrich called on Netanyahu to endorse the plan, which would formalize Israeli control over nearly all of the territory, a move widely condemned by the international community as a violation of international law.

Global calls for a ceasefire continue to mount, with humanitarian agencies warning of catastrophic conditions in Gaza. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly criticized Israel for what they describe as disproportionate use of force and collective punishment, while also condemning Hamas for endangering civilians by operating within densely populated areas.

With diplomacy stalled and casualties mounting, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens by the day. Entire families are being lost, and survivors like young Ibrahim serve as stark reminders of the war’s devastating human cost.