Gaza Braces for Israeli Ground Offensive as Death Toll Mounts, Aid efforts Intensify
GAZA CITY – Israel has begun mobilizing reserve soldiers in readiness for an expected ground offensive targeting Gaza City, as teh death toll in the Strip continues to climb amid ongoing airstrikes and a worsening humanitarian crisis. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported Tuesday that 63,633 people have been killed since the start of the conflict in 2023. Recent strikes have resulted in the deaths of 78 palestinians as dawn, according to Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Belmal, including 13 killed in raids targeting Gaza City.
The escalating violence comes as the Gaza Strip faces dire conditions, with the Ministry of Health reporting that 13 Palestinians, including three children, died of hunger and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths from starvation and malnutrition to at least 361, including 130 children. Among the recent casualties were eleven people recovered from rubble in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, including three children and two women, and five individuals killed while waiting in a food queue in the south.
Amidst the escalating conflict, international efforts to provide aid are underway. Tunisian delegations are preparing to join the “Al-Samoud Fleet,” a maritime initiative aimed at delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The fleet’s preparations signal a growing international commitment to addressing the urgent needs of the civilian population.
Specifically, tuesday’s attacks included the targeting of a building belonging to the Al-Ashi family west of the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, resulting in 13 deaths, and the bombing of an apartment building which killed nine people. Israeli tank shells also claimed the lives of seven Palestinians.
