Israeli Airstrikes Kill at Least 60 in Gaza as Global Condemnation Grows

At least 60 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Tuesday following Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to local health officials. Among the targets were a residential home and a school being used as a shelter, as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas amid escalating international criticism.

The latest offensive, which Israel says is aimed at rescuing hostages and dismantling Hamas, has resulted in over 300 deaths in recent days alone, local officials report. Since the start of the broader conflict, the Gaza Health Ministry says more than 53,000 Palestinians—many of them women and children—have been killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israeli officials state that military operations are focused on eliminating Hamas infrastructure, though strikes have increasingly hit densely populated areas. The military has not yet commented on the latest attacks but maintains that Hamas is responsible for civilian casualties by embedding itself in residential zones.

Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Following a more than two-month blockade that halted food, fuel, and medical supplies, Israel has allowed a limited number of aid trucks into the besieged enclave of 2 million people. The United Nations reported approvals for about 100 trucks, but only five have reportedly crossed into Gaza since Monday. Distribution of the aid remains uncertain.

The U.N. describes current aid levels as “a drop in the ocean” compared to what is needed, noting that about 600 trucks a day entered Gaza during previous ceasefires. Aid groups have warned that famine is a looming threat if access remains restricted.

Mounting International Pressure

Israel’s latest military actions have sparked a wave of condemnation from key allies. On Monday, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom issued a joint warning, threatening “concrete actions,” including potential sanctions, if Israel continues what they described as “egregious” operations in Gaza.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused Israel of “blind violence” and said the Gaza Strip had become “a place of death.” He urged an immediate halt to the offensive during a radio interview on Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the international criticism, arguing it played into Hamas’ hands and would embolden further attacks like the one on October 7, 2023, in which Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

Netanyahu also said the decision to permit limited humanitarian aid came under pressure from allies who were disturbed by images of widespread hunger in Gaza.

Rare Domestic Criticism

The Israeli government is also facing rare internal dissent. Retired general and opposition leader Yair Golan criticized the war’s toll on Palestinian civilians, saying on Reshet Bet radio, “A sane country doesn’t kill babies as a hobby or set goals of population expulsion.”

Golan’s remarks drew immediate backlash from Netanyahu, who called them “wild incitement” and accused him of promoting antisemitic tropes. Golan, who joined the fight during Hamas' 2023 attack, had previously courted controversy in 2016 by comparing Israeli societal trends to those of Nazi Germany.

Escalating Violence

Israeli airstrikes in recent days have struck several regions across Gaza:

• In northern Gaza, two strikes hit a family home and a school sheltering displaced residents, killing at least 22 people, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
• In the central city of Deir al-Balah, 13 people were killed.
• Another 15 people died in a strike on the nearby Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
• In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis—already devastated by earlier fighting—two more strikes killed 10 people, according to Nasser Hospital.

Israel has issued evacuation orders for parts of Khan Younis as it continues operations in the area.

The war began with the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel. According to Israeli authorities, Hamas continues to hold 58 hostages, roughly a third of whom are believed to be alive. Most others were released in previous ceasefire agreements.