Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 20 people in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said Tuesday, as Israeli forces intensified their ground operations in areas previously spared from major combat during the ongoing 21-month conflict.
The renewed military push comes amid ongoing but stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a potential ceasefire that could pause hostilities and lead to the release of some hostages. Talks have dragged on for weeks with little progress, largely due to disagreements over a potential Israeli troop withdrawal from parts of Gaza.
The Biden administration has been pressing Israel to bring the war to a close and has grown increasingly critical. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was “caught off guard” by a recent Israeli strike that hit Gaza’s only Catholic church.
That attack, which killed three people and wounded ten—including a priest known for his connection to the late Pope Francis—prompted condemnation from both Pope Leo XIV and Trump. Israel later said the strike was accidental and expressed regret.
Tents Hit, Dozens Wounded in Gaza City
Among the latest casualties, 12 people—including three women and three children—were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck tents housing displaced civilians in the densely populated Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital officials. Another 38 people were injured.
Footage released by Gaza’s Health Ministry showed bodies lying on the ground and tents torn apart by the blast.
In a separate overnight strike, at least eight people were killed and over 100 wounded while waiting for humanitarian aid on a coastal road in Gaza City. Witnesses said the crowd was hit twice by Israeli aircraft.
Ahmed Mhana, who was among those waiting for aid, said, “We were standing in line, and suddenly the sky lit up—then the second strike came as people tried to flee.”
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incidents but maintains that Hamas bears responsibility for civilian deaths due to operating within populated areas. Israel has accused the group of extending the war by refusing ceasefire terms, including disarmament and surrendering control of Gaza.
Heavy Fighting Reaches Deir al-Balah
Residents of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza—an area previously spared from widespread destruction—reported intense shelling and airstrikes overnight.
“It was nonstop,” said Ayman Abu Hassan, a local resident. “The ground was shaking like an earthquake.”
Abu Hassan said he fled the southwestern part of the city, now under Israeli incursion, to seek refuge in the coastal Muwasi area. The Israeli military had ordered partial evacuations in Deir al-Balah earlier this week.
Death Toll and Humanitarian Crisis Deepen
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began following Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead and 251 hostages taken. Fewer than half of the remaining 50 hostages are believed to be alive.
The health ministry, which operates under Hamas but is regarded by the UN and other agencies as the primary source for casualty data, states that more than half the fatalities in Gaza are women and children.
Church Leaders Condemn War After Rare Gaza Visit
In Jerusalem, top Christian leaders who recently visited Gaza described the territory as “almost totally destroyed” and called on the international community to intervene.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III said they saw widespread hunger and suffering during their visit.
“Every hour without food, water, medicine, and shelter causes deep harm,” said Pizzaballa. “It is morally unacceptable and unjustifiable.”
Israel continues to restrict the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and aid convoys that do enter often face chaos and violence at distribution sites.