Israeli occupation forces have intensified their military campaign across the Gaza Strip, unleashing a series of devastating air and drone strikes that have killed numerous civilians and wounded many others.
The overnight assault has further deepened the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Palestine, with children among those killed in the relentless bombardment.
Palestinian journalist Ahmad Adwan’s wife bids farewell to her son, Kenan, massacred in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in western Khan Younis, southern Gaza, last night.
Kenan, who was killed just before his second birthday, was born only a month before… pic.twitter.com/wyXaFP6WTL
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 19, 2025
Deadly Strikes Target Displaced Families
In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, four civilians—including two children and a young girl—perished when Israeli warplanes bombed a tent housing displaced Palestinians in the al-Mawasi area. Nearby, a separate drone attack near the British field hospital resulted in four additional fatalities and multiple injuries.
Israeli drones also targeted shelters in western Gaza City, striking a tent near the Al-Amal Hotel, killing two people and wounding four others. Further casualties were reported following another attack on a tent in al-Mawasi, an area that has become a refuge for families fleeing violence elsewhere.
“I woke up and found myself under the rubble”
A Palestinian girl recounts the terrifying moments she endured while trapped beneath the debris of her home after an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, last night. pic.twitter.com/OwjGuxq6kf
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 19, 2025
Widespread Bombardment Continues
The assault extended into residential neighborhoods across Gaza. In Khan Younis refugee camp, an Israeli airstrike on the Abu Shamala family home killed one person and injured 20 others—15 of them children, according to preliminary reports. This followed an earlier attack on the same house that had already wounded 14 people, including 12 children and two women.
Gaza City faced simultaneous attacks as Israeli warplanes targeted al-Sikka Street in the al-Zeitoun neighborhood, while artillery shells pounded the eastern al-Shujaiya district. Reports indicate that Gaza has endured coordinated aerial, ground, and naval assaults over a two-hour period, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of Israel’s offensive.
Humanitarian Crisis Reaches Breaking Point
The relentless attacks coincide with deteriorating humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s displaced population. UNRWA warned Friday that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is worsening at unprecedented rates, with over 90,000 Palestinians now sheltering in 115 UNRWA facilities.
The ban on humanitarian aid and commercial supplies since March 2 has dramatically exacerbated civilian suffering, degrading both living conditions and healthcare access throughout Gaza.
Displacement figures continue to climb following the collapse of the ceasefire, with UN estimates showing nearly 420,000 newly displaced people, bringing the total to over 1.9 million—approximately 90% of Gaza’s entire population.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that 51,065 Palestinians have been killed and 116,505 injured in what they describe as an Israeli genocide since October 7, 2023.
Source: Al-Manar and agencies
