Israel’s expanding assault on Gaza has killed over 15 civilians since Saturday morning, with aid agencies warning of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.

At least 15 Palestinians have been killed and many more injured since dawn on Saturday as Israel continues its relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip, now entering its 18th month of genocide.

The attacks have targeted homes and residential neighborhoods across Gaza, with heavy artillery shelling accompanying a deepened ground incursion, particularly in Rafah in the southern part of the Strip.

Local sources reported that an Israeli drone struck a charitable food pantry in the Qatawa refugee camp, west of Khan Yunis, killing three civilians. In central Khan Yunis, another drone attack on an apartment killed a man and wounded his wife and child.

In the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City, Israeli artillery shelling killed a young Palestinian woman on Al-Sikka Street.

Israeli warplanes also bombed a house belonging to the Abu Atta family in the Sheja’iyya neighborhood east of Gaza City, resulting in several casualties. Al-Jazeera confirmed that an Israeli drone killed two more Palestinians in Sheja’iyya, while artillery fire targeted central Rafah and the nearby Arabiyya area.

Video footage shows Israel executing 14 Red Cross paramedics, clearly marked in medical attire and vehicles, in Gaza.#Gaza #RedCross #WarCrimes #HumanRights pic.twitter.com/NsKJ5xAkFi

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 5, 2025

Medical sources reported the death of a young man who succumbed to injuries sustained in an earlier airstrike on Al-Nasr town, northeast of Rafah.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 60 Palestinians were killed and 162 wounded in the past 24 hours alone due to ongoing Israeli attacks.

Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly expanded its ground operations, with the Israeli newspaper Walla claiming that Israeli forces have taken control of new areas in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Rafah, and Khan Yunis. Security assessments indicate that seizing the Morag axis could isolate Rafah from the rest of Gaza, disrupting the movement of food, ammunition, and personnel.

Walla also reported that Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir has ordered the military to keep operational plans confidential while calling in additional air power, artillery units, and intelligence support from military and internal security agencies.

Desperate Appeals from Gaza Residents

In Sheja’iyya, dozens of Palestinian families—primarily women, children, and the sick—issued desperate appeals via Al-Jazeera, calling for immediate evacuation and protection.

Israeli warplanes bombed northern Rafah, southern Gaza — endangering thousands of displaced Palestinians sheltering there.

No place is safe.#Gaza #Rafah #Palestine #CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/cy3hXFEhjz

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 4, 2025

They said they fear leaving their shelters due to indiscriminate Israeli fire. Many tents have been destroyed by shelling, and Israeli aircraft reportedly fire without warning.

Starvation as a Weapon

The Israeli military continues to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, weaponizing starvation amid a deteriorating humanitarian crisis. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that Israel is deliberately using food and aid as a weapon of war.

In a recent post on X, Lazzarini warned that desperation and hunger are spreading rapidly as Israel imposes a total blockade on the Strip. He described the denial of food, fuel, and medicine as “collective punishment” and noted that civil order is breaking down under the pressure.

Since March 2, all border crossings into Gaza have been closed to humanitarian, medical, and relief aid—leading to unprecedented suffering, according to both local officials and human rights organizations.

Rising Casualties

Since March 18, when Israel resumed its assault on Gaza, more than 1,250 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,022 injured. The total death toll has now surpassed 50,615, with more than 115,063 wounded since October 7, 2023. Over 11,000 remain missing.

With full backing from the United States, Israel has carried out a devastating campaign in Gaza, killing and injuring over 165,000 people—most of them women and children—while imposing a siege that has paralyzed access to food, water, and medicine.

Despite widespread international appeals, Israel continues to block aid and ignore calls to lift the siege, leaving Gaza’s population to face starvation, disease, and unrelenting attacks.

(PC, AJA)