Israeli forces pressed ahead with their operation to take control of Gaza City, killing at least 75 people across the enclave in the process. The military’s bombardment, which has been ongoing for 23 months, is leveling entire neighborhoods and driving residents to flee with few safe havens remaining. One of the deadliest strikes hit a displacement camp in the Tal al-Hawa district, wiping out a family of five, including three children. Survivors described shrapnel hitting tents and children screaming as bombs fell.

Attacks were reported across Gaza City, including the Zeitoun, Sabra, Tuffah, Nassr, and Shujayea districts. In Tuffah alone, at least eight people were killed and dozens more injured, according to civil emergency authorities. In Shujayea, a strike on a residential building killed two, while in Zeitoun, three members of the al-Ghaf family were pulled from rubble. Many displaced residents moved in hopes of finding safety, only to encounter further danger as Israeli tanks advanced into areas such as Sheikh Radwan, destroying homes and igniting fires in tent encampments. Hospitals, including Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital, were overwhelmed, with morgue floors covered in bodies and grieving families unable to cope with the scale of casualties.

On Thursday, 44 people were killed in Gaza City alone. Across the enclave, the death toll rose to 75, with Israeli attacks hitting central refugee camps such as Nuseirat and southern areas like Rafah, where people seeking aid were fired upon. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, said troops now held 40 percent of Gaza City and that operations would “expand and intensify” in the coming days. Satellite imagery confirmed heavy Israeli military presence and patterns of forced displacement from northern and central neighborhoods toward the west.

The mass displacement has worsened conditions for those fleeing south, where tent camps are overcrowded and basic goods have surged in price. Shorouk Abu Eid, a pregnant woman displaced to Khan Younis, described a lack of privacy and peace of mind as her community struggles under the influx of new arrivals.

In parallel with military operations, the United States, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sought to shift blame for Israeli abuses onto countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations. Washington also sanctioned three Palestinian rights groups: Al-Haq, PCHR, and Al Mezan, accusing them of engaging with the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli nationals. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized France for its advocacy on Palestinian issues, while EU officials, including Vice President Teresa Ribera, condemned the ongoing violence as “genocide” and criticized the bloc’s inaction.

UNICEF described Gaza City as a “city of fear, flight, and funerals,” where nearly one million residents are trapped amid collapsing essential services. Hospitals are on the brink of collapse, with only 11 still partially functioning and just five neonatal intensive care units in operation, accommodating up to 200 percent of capacity. Children are suffering from malnutrition, starvation, and injuries caused by the bombardments. Tess Ingram, UNICEF’s regional communications manager, recounted children with bodies “shredded by shrapnel” and widespread famine evident even in brief visits to clinics. Parents are rationing food to keep children alive, often going hungry themselves.

The ongoing blockade and scarcity of aid have worsened malnutrition, particularly among children returning to emergency wards after prior treatment. UNICEF has supplied therapeutic food to over 3,000 malnourished children, provided support for infants and pregnant or breastfeeding women, and delivered safe water and temporary learning centers. Despite these efforts, the need far exceeds resources, with childhood malnutrition rising sharply over the past months.

UNICEF called on all parties to protect children, allow aid to reach families safely, and release hostages. Ingram emphasized the need for immediate international action, warning that failure to intervene will result in preventable deaths and suffering among Gaza’s children. “The cost of inaction will be measured in the lives of children buried in the rubble, wasted by hunger, and silenced before they even had a chance to speak,” she said.