Wafric News – May 14, 2025

Israeli airstrikes on northern Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 70 Palestinians, including 22 children, according to local health officials. The majority of casualties occurred in Jabalia, a densely populated area in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia reported that many of the victims were women and children, with several homes in the town and nearby refugee camp struck overnight. A video shared online appeared to show at least a dozen bodies on the floor there.

The Israeli military stated it was investigating the reports and had previously warned residents of Jabalia and neighboring areas to evacuate after a Palestinian armed group launched rockets into Israel. The military claimed the strikes targeted Hamas militants embedded in civilian areas.

In a separate incident, an Israeli airstrike on the European Hospital compound in Khan Younis killed at least 28 people, according to local officials. The Israeli military described it as a "precise strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating in a command-and-control centre" underneath the hospital. Israeli media reports suggested the target was Mohammed Sinwar, who is believed to have become the top Hamas leader in Gaza after his brother Yahya was killed by Israeli forces last October.

The United Nations' humanitarian affairs chief has urged members of the UN Security Council to take action to "prevent genocide" in Gaza. Speaking at a meeting in New York, Tom Fletcher accused Israel of "deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians" and called on Israel to lift its 10-week blockade on Gaza. He also criticized the Israeli-US plan to take over the distribution of humanitarian aid by using private companies, saying it was a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement" of Palestinians.

Israel's envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, dismissed the accusations as "baseless and outrageous," insisting that the existing system for aid was "broken" because it was being used to help Hamas's war effort—an allegation both the UN and the armed group have denied.

The ongoing conflict, which began following Hamas’s deadly 2023 incursion into southern Israel, has resulted in over 52,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread humanitarian devastation. Gaza’s health infrastructure is near collapse, with hospitals damaged and ambulances unable to operate. Nearly half a million Palestinians face starvation, and 60% of charity kitchens have been closed due to the continuing blockade.

In a rare development, Hamas recently released Edan Alexander, the last known American hostage held in Gaza, as a goodwill gesture to U.S. President Donald Trump, who is visiting the Middle East this week. Trump expressed hope that more hostages would be freed and emphasized that "all hostages must be released as a stepping stone to peace." His special envoys are participating in a new round of talks in Qatar.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is preparing to expand its military offensive in Gaza and insisted that nothing will stop the war. He told injured reservist soldiers that Israeli forces would go into the territory "with full force to complete the operation" to destroy Hamas. "There will be no situation where we stop the war. A temporary ceasefire might happen, but we are going all the way," he added.

The international community continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza.


By Wafric News Desk.