The death toll in Gaza has now exceeded 50,000 since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
The Hamas-run administration does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures but has previously stated that women and children make up more than half of the casualties.
On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes hit the surgery department at Nasser Hospital, the largest medical facility in southern Gaza, killing five people.
Among the dead was Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, who was reportedly receiving treatment for injuries sustained in an earlier attack.
The strike was confirmed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who said Barhoum was the intended target. Israel maintains that Hamas deliberately operates within civilian spaces such as hospitals, schools, and shelters—an allegation the group denies.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the hospital strike was based on extensive intelligence and executed with precision to minimize collateral damage.
Nasser Hospital, already battered by previous raids and bombings, has been struggling to manage the overwhelming influx of casualties. Smoke was seen rising from the hospital following the attack, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Defense.
The airstrike on Nasser Hospital followed the killing of senior Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel in another Israeli strike on Khan Younis.
Bardaweel, a key figure in Hamas’s political bureau and a member of the Palestinian parliament, was known for his media presence.
Hamas described him as “a beacon of political, media, and national activism” and “a symbol of honesty, steadfastness, and sacrifice.”
However, the IDF labeled him a “senior terrorist” and stated that his elimination further weakened Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities. The strike that killed Bardaweel also took the lives of his wife and several other Palestinians.
At least 30 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah and Khan Younis on Sunday, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
The European Hospital and Kuwaiti Hospital confirmed that women and children were among the victims.
The health ministry reported that a total of 50,021 Palestinians have died in the conflict, with more than 113,000 others injured.
Since Tuesday, when Israel resumed airstrikes following the collapse of a ceasefire, 673 people have been killed.
Explosions were recorded across northern, central, and southern Gaza as Israeli aircraft targeted multiple locations.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders for parts of Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city.
Ayda Abu Shaer, a displaced resident of Rafah, described the chaos and terror of the bombardment: “We died tonight. Tanks are shelling us, our tents and houses, and they are shooting at us. We never slept. In the morning, they told us to leave. They threw leaflets. All the way, they were shooting at us and dropping shells and rockets. We threw ourselves into the streets and fell, asking for mercy. Enough is enough. We are exhausted. Our sons and daughters are dead, and the children have been orphaned. We don’t know what to do.”
Another displaced woman, Hadeel Ghanim, painted a grim picture of the evacuation, “There are no ambulances and no Red Cross. People have been walking for hours, with them elderly people and children unable to move. We do not know where to go. We left without tents, without mattresses, without anything. We do not know where to go or what to do. For God’s sake, save us.”
The conflict erupted when Hamas militants launched an incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a large-scale air and ground offensive in Gaza.
The ceasefire, which began on January 19, was shattered on Tuesday when Israel resumed its bombardment.
Israel claims that Hamas violated the agreement, a charge the militant group denies, insisting instead that Israel broke the truce brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
During an interview with Sky’s Sophy Ridge, Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, defended the Israeli stance: “Hamas is not releasing hostages anymore. Israel has no other choice rather than putting pressure on a terror organization.”
Hamas, meanwhile, has repeatedly called for renewed negotiations on the ceasefire’s second phase, which includes the release of remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian political prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a permanent cessation of hostilities.
The group has signaled willingness to negotiate and is reportedly reviewing “bridging” proposals presented by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
However, Witkoff told Fox News that Hamas was to blame for the renewed violence, stating, “This is on Hamas. The United States stands with the state of Israel. Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize, to accept the bridging proposal.”
While negotiations had been expected to begin last month, their future now remains uncertain.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the latest developments with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday, including efforts to secure the release of hostages and the resumption of hostilities.
Netanyahu’s office stated that Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering support for Israel and its policies.
Netanyahu has reiterated that the primary objective of Israel’s military campaign is the complete dismantling of Hamas.
He also suggested that the renewed offensive aims to pressure Hamas into surrendering the remaining hostages.
Meanwhile, protests continue to rock Israel for the sixth consecutive day. Demonstrators are frustrated with Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage crisis, his attempt to dismiss Shin Bet domestic security chief Ronen Bar, and his cabinet’s no-confidence motion against the attorney general.
The unprecedented move to oust Bar was blocked by Israel’s top court pending an appeal.
Netanyahu’s government has faced backlash over allegations of undermining key state institutions, as well as claims that corruption investigations involving Qatar have put pressure on his administration.
The families of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza have been particularly vocal, expressing their anger at what they perceive as the government’s abandonment of their loved ones.
