Deadly Israeli Offensive Strikes Gaza, Casualties Soar as Conflict Escalates

Israeli airstrikes killed 33 Palestinians in Gaza yesterday, including 12 children and 8 women, as violence escalated despite a ceasefire that began in October. The attacks wounded 88 others, with several in critical condition, according to Gaza health authorities.

The latest casualties bring the total death toll since the October 11 ceasefire to 312, with 760 wounded. These numbers sit on top of a much larger toll - Gaza health officials say 69,546 Palestinians have been killed and 170,833 wounded since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.

Among yesterday's victims was an entire family of five who died when Israeli aircraft targeted their home in the Zeitoun neighborhood in eastern Gaza. The strikes hit civilian targets across the territory during a 24-hour period that marked a sharp increase in violence.

But the airstrikes weren't the only development. Israeli forces expanded what's called the "yellow zone" - a buffer area that separates Israeli military positions from areas where Palestinians can move freely. The Israeli military now controls more than 50% of Gaza's territory in the east, while Palestinians are confined to western areas.

Gaza's government media office said Israeli forces pushed the yellow line markers 300 meters further into Palestinian areas along Shaaf, Nazzaz, and Baghdad streets. This expansion trapped dozens of Palestinian families who couldn't evacuate before tanks moved in.

"Many families were surrounded and couldn't get out after being surprised by the tank incursion," the office said. The fate of many families remains unknown due to ongoing bombardment of the area.

Gaza officials called this the 400th ceasefire violation since the truce took effect. They say these breaches have killed over 300 people and wounded hundreds more, making life even harder for Palestinians squeezed into Gaza's remaining livable areas.

Qatar, which helped broker the original ceasefire, strongly condemned the Israeli attacks yesterday. The Gulf state called them "a dangerous escalation that threatens to undermine the ceasefire agreement." Qatar's foreign ministry stressed the need for regional and international efforts to preserve the truce and pave the way for ending the war entirely.

The renewed violence raises questions about the ceasefire's durability. While the truce has held in relative terms since October, these violations show how fragile the arrangement remains. For the estimated 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, each escalation means more displacement in an already devastated territory where most infrastructure has been destroyed.