The Israeli military continues its deadly offensive across the Gaza Strip, with entire families wiped out and humanitarian conditions deteriorating rapidly under a prolonged blockade.  

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Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday committed two separate massacres targeting Palestinian families in the northern and central Gaza Strip, killing at least 17 civilians — including women and children — according to reports from the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

In the Saftawi neighborhood, north of Gaza City, an Israeli airstrike hit the home of the Al-Arbid family, killing eight members and injuring several others. Hours later, another air raid struck the home of the Aqeelan family in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, killing six more civilians.

The violence did not stop there. In the southern part of the besieged enclave, two Palestinians were killed in the town of Abasan, east of Khan Younis, due to Israeli artillery shelling and gunfire. In a separate incident, a young man was killed by Israeli drone fire in the town of Al-Fakhari.ç

On Tuesday evening, three more civilians were killed and at least 46 others were injured in western Rafah when Israeli forces opened fire and shelled an area where displaced people were waiting to receive humanitarian aid. According to WAFA, the wounded were transported to the Red Cross Hospital in Rafah, with reports confirming that the victims had been targeted during aid distribution efforts.

Since March 2, Israeli authorities have maintained a total closure of border crossings into Gaza, effectively blocking the entry of humanitarian aid. As a result, nearly 2.4 million residents face a severe hunger crisis, which aid organizations describe as a deliberate strategy of starvation.

The broader Israeli offensive, launched on October 7, 2023, has resulted in at least 54,056 Palestinians killed and 123,129 injured, according to preliminary estimates. The majority of the casualties are women and children. Many bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble or in areas that rescue workers have been unable to reach due to ongoing attacks.

International humanitarian agencies and human rights groups have repeatedly condemned what they describe as a campaign of collective punishment and possible war crimes. Calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access continue to grow, as Gaza’s population endures the consequences of a conflict with no end in sight.

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