More than 80 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, mostly in Gaza City, local hospitals reported. Women and children were among at least 20 who died when a strike hit a building and tents sheltering displaced families near Firas market in Gaza City's central Daraj neighborhood overnight, according to first responders.
The Israeli military stated it targeted two Hamas fighters, claiming the number of casualties did not align with its own information.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and troops continued their advance into the heart of the city, which Israel claims is the last stronghold of Hamas. The military has indicated that the ground offensive aims to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas and to ensure the armed group's decisive defeat.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled Gaza's largest urban center, where a famine was recently confirmed by a UN-backed body. However, many remain in dire humanitarian conditions as essential services collapse.
In a separate development, US special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that President Donald Trump had presented a 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast and Gaza during talks with Arab and Muslim leaders at the UN General Assembly. Details of the plan were not disclosed, but it reportedly addresses both Israeli and regional concerns.
Hospitals in Gaza City confirmed that they had received the bodies of more than 60 people killed by Israeli strikes since midnight. The Hamas-run Civil Defense agency reported that a third of the fatalities came from a strike on a warehouse sheltering displaced individuals near Firas market, with many women and children among the casualties.
Video footage from the scene depicted rescuers recovering bodies from the rubble of a destroyed structure. Mohammed Hajjaj, whose relatives were killed, described the horrific aftermath of the bombing.
Eyewitnesses noted that Israeli military actions have escalated, with reports of tanks and troop movements in multiple neighborhoods. The IDF confirms they are targeting Hamas but faces accusations of endangering civilian lives.
In light of the rising death toll and humanitarian crisis, the UN human rights office condemned the IDF's tactics, highlighting the growing number of civilians killed and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
The Israeli military claims its operations are a response to a Hamas-led attack that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel, with the conflict deepening since October 7, 2023. As casualties rise, the international community watches closely as both sides engage in a deadly escalation.
