Israeli forces are pushing harder into Gaza City, carrying out strikes that killed dozens of people on Wednesday, many of them women and children. Whole families have been wiped out. One three year old boy was found alive under the rubble after his parents and sisters were killed.
Hospitals and aid groups warn that the offensive is worsening an already desperate situation. Families are being told to flee south, but the camps there are overcrowded, short on food and water, and not safe. In one camp, five children were killed while waiting in line for water.
Inside Israel, anger is boiling over. Families of hostages say Prime Minister Netanyahu is risking their loved ones’ lives by focusing on conquering Gaza instead of making a deal. Protesters shut down streets in Jerusalem, demanding an agreement that could free the 48 remaining hostages, only 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
The war began after Hamas’s October 7 attack, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. Since then, more than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed, and hundreds have died from starvation. The Israeli military vows to keep going until Hamas is defeated, but critics at home and abroad warn the cost for civilians is unbearable.
Source: Gritten, D. (2025, September 3). Israel intensifies Gaza City attacks as UN warns over displacement. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c740lm33wyeo