At least 50 Palestinians, including 22 children and 15 women, have been killed in a series of Israeli air strikes targeting northern Gaza, according to the Indonesian Hospital. The strikes hit multiple homes in Jabalia town and the adjacent refugee camp overnight. Harrowing footage shared online showed bodies lined on the hospital floor, as families mourned their dead.

The Israeli military said it is reviewing the reports and had previously issued evacuation orders for Jabalia and surrounding areas. The warnings came after Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched rockets into southern Israel, prompting renewed military operations.

The bombardment coincided with growing international alarm over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. At a UN Security Council meeting in New York, the UN’s humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher accused Israel of deliberately worsening conditions for civilians. He called on the Council to act urgently to "prevent genocide" and urged Israel to lift its blockade, now in place for over 10 weeks.

Fletcher also criticized the proposed Israeli-US plan to privatize aid distribution in Gaza, calling it a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement." Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon rejected the allegations as "baseless and outrageous," claiming aid channels were being exploited by Hamas—a claim denied by both Hamas and the UN.

Gaza’s health ministry said at least 70 people were killed across the territory on Wednesday, with the majority of casualties in and around Jabalia. Locals described a night filled with explosions, and videos from activists showed fires engulfing buildings.

Hadi Moqbel, 42, told Reuters that several members of his family were killed when their house was struck. “There were body parts everywhere... a woman, a baby just two months old—killed,” he said, standing amid the rubble.

The Israeli military has vowed to continue operations in the north, reiterating a "final warning" for residents to evacuate to shelters in Gaza City. It said any area used to launch rockets would be targeted "with great force."

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis is deepening. The UN says 70% of Gaza is either under evacuation orders or within active combat zones. Severe shortages of food and fuel have shut down all UN-supported bakeries and more than half of Gaza’s community kitchens. A UN-backed food security assessment warned that the entire population faces acute hunger, with half a million people on the brink of starvation.

Israel maintains that it is acting within the bounds of international law and that sufficient aid entered Gaza during the ceasefire. However, UN officials argue that current levels are nowhere near enough to meet civilian needs.

In a potential step toward easing tensions, Hamas released Edan Alexander, the last known living Israeli-American hostage, on Monday. The group said it was a goodwill gesture to U.S. President Donald Trump, who is visiting the region. Trump expressed hope that the release could lead to a broader ceasefire deal and secure the release of the remaining 58 hostages.

Israeli forces are continuing to mass near the Gaza border. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would soon "enter with full force" to eliminate Hamas and declared there would be no end to the war until that goal is achieved. A temporary ceasefire, he said, might occur—but the campaign would press on.

On Tuesday, another Israeli air strike targeted the European Hospital compound in Khan Younis, killing at least 28 people, according to local sources. Israel said the strike was aimed at Hamas commanders operating beneath the hospital, including Mohammed Sinwar, believed to be the group's new top leader in Gaza.

Israel’s campaign began in response to Hamas’s cross-border assault on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. Since then, more than 52,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including nearly 2,800 since fighting resumed in March.