Israeli Strike Hits Gaza Kitchen, Dozens Killed \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Monday killed over 30 people, including women, children, and a journalist, amid intensifying conflict and deepening humanitarian crisis. One strike hit near a charity kitchen distributing food, another hit a media tent near a hospital. Aid groups warn food supplies are nearly exhausted as the blockade persists.
Quick Looks
- Airstrike near charity kitchen in Khan Younis killed seven, wounded at least ten
- Victims were waiting for food amid severe shortages due to Israel’s blockade
- Media tent outside Nasser Hospital bombed, killing a journalist and wounding six
- Israel claims it targeted a Hamas militant posing as a journalist
- Over 30 killed Monday, including 19 women and children, hospitals report
- World Food Program warns aid could run out this week
- Gaza faces critical hunger, with bakeries and food distributions shut down
- Gaza death toll tops 50,000, mostly women and children, according to officials
- UN agencies condemn the blockade, calling the situation “trapped, bombed and starved again”
- Protests erupt in Israel as Netanyahu meets Trump in Washington to discuss Gaza
Deep Look
Israeli Strikes on Gaza Kill Dozens, Including Women, Children, and Journalists Amid Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
A deadly wave of Israeli airstrikes struck southern Gaza on Monday, killing more than 30 Palestinians, including multiple women and children, and injuring scores more, according to local hospitals and health officials. Among the dead were civilians waiting for food near a charity kitchen and a journalist covering the war from a media tent outside a hospital.
The attacks unfolded across an already devastated Gaza Strip, where food supplies have nearly run out and humanitarian operations are on the verge of collapse due to a prolonged blockade imposed by Israel.
Charity Kitchen Bombed Amid Food Crisis
One of the most harrowing attacks occurred just outside the city of Khan Younis, where dozens of displaced Palestinians had gathered near a charity kitchen to receive hot meals. The strike, which witnesses say occurred around midday, killed seven people, including two women, and wounded at least 10 others.
Video captured the aftermath, showing panicked civilians carrying the bloodied body of a young girl from the blast site. Eyewitness Samah Abu Jamie said her nephew was among those killed, and her daughter was wounded.
“They were going to get food. I told her, ‘Daughter, don’t go,’” Abu Jamie said. “They had nothing with them but a pot. Is a pot a weapon?”
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the strike.
Journalist Killed in Strike Outside Hospital
Another Israeli strike hit a media tent outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis around 2 a.m., igniting a fire and killing reporter Yousef al-Faqawi, who worked for the Palestine Today news outlet. Six other journalists were injured, including Hassan Eslaiah, who the Israeli military claims was a Hamas operative involved in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
Eslaiah has previously contributed freelance footage to international outlets, including the Associated Press, though the AP said it has not worked with him in over a year.
Hospital officials said the tent was used by multiple journalists and media workers covering the war and humanitarian efforts from the hospital grounds.
Humanitarian Breakdown and Food Shortages
The attacks come as humanitarian groups warn of total system collapse in Gaza. The World Food Program said it has already halted food box distribution to families and will likely run out of supplies for community kitchens by next week. WFP-run bakeries have also closed due to a lack of flour, ending one of the few remaining sources of bread for hundreds of thousands.
“We are witnessing acts of war in Gaza that show an utter disregard for human life,” read a joint statement from the heads of six U.N. agencies. “Protect civilians. Facilitate aid. Release hostages. Renew a ceasefire.”
More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are displaced, and many are living in makeshift camps, completely dependent on food aid and emergency assistance.
Civilian Deaths Mount as Conflict Deepens
The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 50,000 people killed since the conflict began, the majority being women and children. The toll includes more than 1,000 health workers and at least 173 journalists, according to U.N. agencies and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
In Deir al-Balah, a strike early Monday reduced homes to rubble. Resident Imad Maghari said the explosion was like an earthquake, killing several members of neighboring families.
“I don’t know what danger he poses. He’s 7 years old,” Maghari said of a child victim.
Israel’s Position and Justification
Israel’s military says it targets Hamas fighters and accuses the group of operating from civilian areas, using the population as human shields. Officials claim that the airstrikes are aimed at degrading Hamas’ military capabilities and forcing the group to release remaining hostages.
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and 251 were abducted. As of this week, 59 hostages remain in captivity, including 24 believed to still be alive.
Calls for Renewed Ceasefire and Public Pressure
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, protesters gathered in Jerusalem, demanding a new ceasefire and a hostage release deal.
“Now the moment of truth has come,” said Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander. “You are in the United States and you have to sit there with President Trump and close a deal so that everyone will be released home.”
Many fear that resuming the military offensive has jeopardized the remaining hostages, despite previous breakthroughs in negotiations during temporary ceasefires.
Final Thoughts
Monday’s airstrikes underscore a grim and intensifying chapter in the Gaza war, where humanitarian infrastructure is collapsing, aid is scarce, and civilians—particularly women, children, and journalists—are bearing the brunt of the violence.
As calls for accountability and ceasefire grow louder, the question remains: Can a path be found to protect lives and restore a degree of stability, or will Gaza remain trapped in a cycle of bombardment and starvation?
Israeli Strike Hits
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