At least 35 Palestinians were martyred on Wednesday morning as Israeli occupation forces intensified their assaults on several areas across the besieged Gaza Strip, according to hospital sources.

Among the victims, 25 civilians were reportedly killed while waiting for humanitarian aid near the Netzarim axis — an area that has witnessed repeated Israeli attacks on aid seekers in recent weeks. Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation and panic, as families had gathered in hopes of receiving desperately needed food and supplies amid a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.

The latest massacre comes as the death toll in Gaza continues to climb to unprecedented levels. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, Israel has killed 54,927 Palestinians and injured 126,615 others since the start of its military campaign on October 7, 2023. The vast majority of victims are women and children.

Humanitarian agencies warn that with critical shortages in food, water, and medicine, Gaza’s population faces starvation and disease under what rights groups describe as a deliberate and systematic campaign of collective punishment.

Meanwhile, in Israeli political developments, domestic media report that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is applying intense pressure on ultra-Orthodox Haredi parties to block a proposed bill to dissolve the Knesset. The move appears to be an attempt to maintain political control amid rising domestic unrest and growing international scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

As global outrage mounts over Israel’s targeting of civilians and obstruction of humanitarian aid, calls continue to grow for an immediate ceasefire and the unimpeded entry of life-saving assistance into Gaza. Rights organizations and UN officials have repeatedly warned that the deliberate targeting of aid seekers constitutes a war crime under international law.

Despite this, the Israeli assault on Gaza shows no signs of abating. (ILKHA)