At least 23 people, including women and children, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Shijaiyah suburb of northern Gaza, according to medics at al-Ahli hospital. The four-storey building was struck on Wednesday as part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, with rescue teams continuing to search for survivors late into the evening. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a senior Hamas operative.
This airstrike comes as Israel intensifies its operations in Gaza, reportedly preparing to seize the entire city of Rafah. According to *Haaretz*, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) plan to incorporate Rafah and surrounding areas—about one-fifth of Gaza’s total territory—into a newly announced “Morag corridor,” a buffer zone stretching between Rafah and Khan Younis. This development would effectively cut Gaza off from Egypt and isolate the territory, turning it into a fully enclosed enclave bordered by Israel.
Since Israel ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 2, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has significantly worsened. The United Nations estimates that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced since then, as Israel resumed large-scale airstrikes and tightened its blockade, cutting off essential aid, food, and fuel. The local health ministry reports that more than 1,500 people have been killed and 3,700 injured during this renewed wave of attacks.
The escalation follows a recent rocket barrage by Hamas, the most intense since the breakdown of the ceasefire, on the Israeli city of Ashkelon with 10 rockets. Twelve were injured in the attack. Israeli authorities responded that the return to the military operations are to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened additional attacks, vowing to “divide up” Gaza and occupy strategic strongholds. Mass evacuations have been ordered by the IDF in anticipation of additional battles.
The threat of uprising in Rafah has produced international alarm at the potential for long-term displacement of 2.3 million Gaza inhabitants. Human rights organizations and aid agencies warn that declaring Gaza an entirely sealed territory could result in a humanitarian catastrophe and increase concern for long-term Israeli control over Palestinian territory. Things only continue to deteriorate, with no short-term signals of de-escalation or return to ceasefire negotiations.
