Airstrikes and shootings killed 82 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 38 who were trying to access desperately needed humanitarian aid, according to hospitals and the Gaza Health Ministry on Thursday.
The Israeli military has not provided an immediate response regarding the strikes.
Among the casualties, five people were killed near sites linked to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — a newly established, secretive American organization supported by Israel to provide food assistance to Gaza's population. Additionally, 33 people were killed while waiting for aid trucks at other locations across the Gaza Strip.
Dozens more were killed during airstrikes that struck the territory on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. This includes 15 people who died in strikes targeting tents in the Muwasi zone, a large area where many displaced Palestinians have taken refuge, and a separate strike on a school in Gaza City being used as a shelter for displaced families.
Gaza hospital director killed in Israeli air strike, dozens dead across strip
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that the overall death toll has now surpassed 57,000, including 223 individuals declared dead after being reported missing. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its count but says women and children make up over half of those killed.
These latest deaths come as Israel and Hamas move closer to potentially reaching a ceasefire agreement to end the 21-month-long war.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that Israel had agreed to a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the terms before conditions deteriorate further. However, Hamas’ response — stressing their demand for a complete end to the war — has cast doubt over whether the latest proposal will lead to an actual cessation of hostilities.
The Israeli military has placed blame on Hamas for civilian casualties, accusing the group of operating within densely populated areas. The military said it targeted Hamas fighters and rocket launchers in northern Gaza after rockets were fired at Israel on Wednesday.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.
The war has devastated Gaza, leaving much of the territory in ruins. Over 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, many of them multiple times. The fighting has also triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands facing hunger.