Israeli Forces Kill 69 Palestinians Across Gaza Amid Escalating Offensive

Israeli forces have intensified their military operations in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 69 Palestinians in recent strikes, including 15 people, mostly women and children, in an airstrike on a school sheltering displaced persons in Gaza City. Among those killed were 38 individuals waiting for humanitarian aid at various locations across Gaza. The Israeli military stated that the strike on the school targeted a key Hamas terrorist operating within a Hamas command center and emphasized that numerous precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties. Despite these assurances, many civilians, including children, have suffered amid ongoing attacks on areas where displaced Palestinians seek refuge, such as schools. Hamas is seeking guarantees that a new U.S. ceasefire proposal will lead to the end of Israel's offensive, as humanitarian conditions worsen and nearly the entire population of Gaza is displaced. Meanwhile, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories has called for an arms embargo on Israel, which she accuses of conducting a genocidal campaign in Gaza.