Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday killed at least 40 Palestinians, mainly from a residential building hit in Jabalia. The strikes are part of hostilities that have raged for a week between Israel and Hamas, with much of the terrorism aimed at the most populated and vulnerable areas-including hospitals-with an added layer of humanity worsening by the day.

Airstrikes in Jabalia Kill Dozens

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, an Israeli airstrike on Sunday hit a three-story residential building in the town of Jabalia in the north before dawn Sunday, killing 24 people. Thirty more people who live in neighboring houses were also hurt in the same raid. It added that the assaulted house lodged at least 30 residents, with various injured taken to hospitals in the area, belonging to multiple families.

Unverified videos that circulated on social media purportedly showed bodies covered in blankets near one of the hospitals, apparently indicating casualties from the attack. However, the Israeli military says its actions in Jabalia were for neutralizing “terrorists who posed a threat” to IDF personnel in the area and has made it clear that all the details relating to the incident are still under evaluation.

Civilian Casualties Rise as Gaza Homes Targeted

A third reported airstrike in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City killed Wael Al-Khour, a welfare ministry official, along with some members of his family. His wife and son, two daughters, and three grandchildren died with him, according to reports. The IDF said it was investigating the incident.

These hospitals near the Jabalia refugee camp have been under a long siege, running out of food, medicines, and fuel. Despite evacuation orders by Israel, many medical staff refuse to leave; they continue caring for their patients. On Sunday, the Palestinian Red Crescent, coordinating with the International Committee of the Red Cross, evacuated 20 patients from Al-Awda Hospital. One patient died on the way; the ambulance was held behind an Israeli checkpoint.

Conflict Continues to Rage, Civilian Zones at Risk

In early October, Israel launched a continued military operation in northern Gaza, attacking towns such as Jabalia Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun. The Israeli forces claim that Hamas militants use these zones to attack Israel. They claim their operations are aimed at removing militant threats, but high numbers of civilian casualties have raised an outcry among international observers.

Hamas’s military wing said the assassination operation carried out by a group of resistance fighters on Sunday resulted in the killing of 15 Israeli soldiers in Beit Lahiya. Still, Israel confirms that two members of the Israeli army were killed.(More)

The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said its operations could not continue because of the raids and the service had stopped working.

Efforts At Truce Fail

There have just been attempts to broker a ceasefire. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are trying to mediate. Talk of mediators has warned both parties that talks will be suspended if they do not commit to peace. Neither Hamas nor Israel has responded publicly to the call for negotiations.

History on Conflict

The current conflict, which began last October 2023, was sparked by the attack on Israeli communities carried out by Hamas gunmen, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking 253 hostages. In response, Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza, which caused massive damage and, according to health officials, resulted in the deaths of 43,500 Palestinians.

No identifiable road to a ceasefire exists yet, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza begins to worsen further with airstrikes and land incursions, seeping into the lives of civilians and infrastructure across the region.