Israeli strikes and gunfire kill 18 in and around Gaza City-Gaza officials say

Israeli air and ground operations around Gaza City on Sunday left at least 18 people dead, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Most of the fatalities were reported in and around the Sheikh Radwan area, with officials saying 13 of the dead were people who had gathered near an aid distribution point in central Gaza.

Israeli forces also struck a residential home in Gaza City, killing at least two people, local officials said.
The Israeli military has declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” as operations intensify on the city’s northern approaches. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet is expected to meet to discuss a plan to seize the city, which Israel describes as a key Hamas stronghold. Military spokespeople said they were reviewing reports of civilian casualties.

The latest violence comes amid a deepening humanitarian emergency. International monitors and aid agencies warn of rising deaths among people seeking food and continued bombardments of homes, tents, and schools. Gaza’s overall death toll since the war began in October 2023 has surpassed 63,000, according to local health authorities and tallies cited by international media, with families continuing to flee northern neighborhoods under heavy fire.

Protests in Israel have grown in size as relatives of hostages and anti-war demonstrators press for a ceasefire and an agreement to secure the release of the remaining captives, even as Israel signals preparations for expanded operations in Gaza City in the coming weeks.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, NBC News.