GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL – The Israeli military intensified its operations across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, October 2, 2025, killing at least 43 Palestinians in a series of airstrikes, drone attacks, and ground assaults aimed at consolidating control over Gaza City, according to medical sources, eyewitnesses, and local reports. The offensive, part of a broader plan to reoccupy the entire Gaza Strip, has targeted civilian neighborhoods, displacement camps, and humanitarian aid efforts, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
In Gaza City, the epicenter of the latest escalation, the Israeli army conducted multiple strikes across various neighborhoods, leaving a trail of destruction and loss. In the al-Rimal neighborhood, a densely populated area, an airstrike targeted a civilian gathering, killing one Palestinian and injuring several others. Nearby, at the Ansar roundabout, an Israeli drone strike claimed the life of a child, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the attacks. In the Shati refugee camp, a residential area housing displaced families, Israeli forces struck a house, killing one person. Similarly, in the al-Zeitoun neighborhood, a drone attack resulted in the death of another Palestinian. In the Sabra neighborhood, a family home was hit, killing a woman and leaving the community in mourning.
The scale of the destruction in Gaza City was further highlighted by reports from Al-Sarayya field hospital, which confirmed that five people were killed and 37 others injured in coordinated attacks targeting both the eastern and western parts of the city. Witnesses reported that the Israeli military demolished dozens of homes in the al-Sabra and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods in southern Gaza City, as well as in the Sheikh Radwan and al-Nasr areas in the northwest. These demolitions have displaced countless families, many of whom were already living in precarious conditions after previous rounds of violence.
The current offensive is part of a strategic plan approved by the Israeli government on August 8, 2025, under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan seeks to gradually reoccupy the Gaza Strip, starting with Gaza City, which is home to approximately 1 million Palestinians. Since the approval, the Israeli military has launched a large-scale operation in the city, characterized by the destruction of homes, residential towers, and tents housing displaced persons. Hospitals have also been targeted, severely limiting access to medical care for the wounded. Ground incursions have further intensified the situation, with Israeli forces moving deeper into urban areas, leaving residents with nowhere to flee.
Beyond Gaza City, the violence has spread to central and southern Gaza, with equally devastating consequences. In the Abu Aref area west of Deir al-Balah city, a drone strike on a civilian gathering killed one person and wounded several others. In al-Mash'ala, east of the same city, a bombing targeted a displacement tent, killing three people, including a woman. Another attack in Wadi al-Salqa, south of Deir al-Balah, claimed one life, while a tent strike in Hikr al-Jami resulted in another death. The Bureij refugee camp, a densely populated area in central Gaza, saw a particularly tragic incident when four brothers were killed in an airstrike while collecting firewood, a desperate act driven by the scarcity of resources in the blockaded enclave. Another Palestinian was killed near al-Rashid Street, close to the Netzarim corridor, a militarized zone used by Israeli forces to control movement within Gaza. In this instance, displaced Palestinians were targeted, further compounding the suffering of those already uprooted by the conflict.
In southern Gaza, the situation was equally grim. Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid west of the city, killing 13 people, including a woman. The attack on civilians seeking basic necessities like food and water highlights the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where access to aid is severely restricted. In al-Mawasi, a designated "safe zone" west of the city, an Israeli strike on a food kitchen killed nine people, including a father, his four sons, and his grandson. The targeting of a food distribution site, a critical lifeline for Gaza’s starving population, has drawn widespread condemnation from local residents and humanitarian organizations.
The relentless Israeli bombardment, which began in October 2023, has now claimed the lives of over 66,200 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, according to local health authorities. The sustained military campaign has rendered Gaza largely uninhabitable, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water systems, either destroyed or severely damaged. The blockade imposed by Israel has exacerbated the crisis, leading to widespread starvation and the outbreak of diseases such as polio, which has reemerged in Gaza due to the collapse of sanitation and healthcare systems.
The targeting of civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and humanitarian aid facilities, has raised serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law. The destruction of residential areas in Gaza City, coupled with the bombing of displacement camps and food distribution sites, has left millions of Palestinians without access to basic necessities. The blockade, combined with the ongoing military operations, has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with no immediate end in sight.
The Israeli government has justified its actions as a response to security threats, citing the need to dismantle militant groups operating in Gaza. However, the scale and intensity of the attacks, particularly on civilian populations and infrastructure, have drawn widespread criticism. Human rights organizations have called for an immediate ceasefire and the lifting of the blockade to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need. The international community, including the United Nations, has repeatedly urged all parties to protect civilians and adhere to international law, but these calls have so far gone unheeded.
For the residents of Gaza, the latest offensive represents yet another chapter in a decades-long cycle of violence and displacement. The targeting of civilian gatherings, displacement camps, and humanitarian aid efforts has left families with nowhere to turn. Many are forced to live in makeshift shelters or tents, with limited access to food, water, or medical care. The destruction of homes and livelihoods has further eroded any sense of stability, leaving an entire population grappling with trauma, loss, and uncertainty.
As the Israeli military continues its operations, the death toll is expected to rise, with hospitals and medical facilities struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. The targeting of healthcare infrastructure has left Gaza’s medical system on the brink of collapse, with many hospitals either destroyed or operating at minimal capacity due to shortages of fuel, medicine, and staff. The international community faces mounting pressure to intervene and address the escalating crisis, but political divisions and competing interests have so far hindered meaningful action.
The situation in Gaza remains fluid, with reports of new strikes and casualties emerging daily. The offensive in Gaza City, combined with attacks across central and southern Gaza, has created a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented proportions. For the 1 million residents of Gaza City and the broader population of the Gaza Strip, the future remains uncertain, as the cycle of violence shows no signs of abating. The international community’s response—or lack thereof—will play a critical role in determining whether the situation deteriorates further or whether steps can be taken to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s beleaguered population.
In the meantime, the people of Gaza continue to endure unimaginable hardship, caught in the crossfire of a conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. The targeting of civilians, the destruction of homes, and the denial of humanitarian aid have created a crisis that demands urgent attention. As the world watches, the question remains: how much more suffering must Gaza endure before meaningful action is taken to end the violence and address the root causes of the conflict?
