At least 82 Palestinians were killed overnight in Gaza in a series of airstrikes and shootings, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and hospital officials. Among the dead were 38 people who were trying to access humanitarian aid, in what local authorities described as one of the deadliest nights in recent weeks.Of the 38 killed while seeking aid, five were near facilities associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a newly created and secretive US-backed organisation reportedly supported by Israel. The remaining 33 were struck at various aid distribution points across the territory.The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes.Additional casualties were reported from intense overnight airstrikes, including 15 people killed when tents were hit in the overcrowded Muwasi area, where many displaced Palestinians have taken shelter. Another strike reportedly targeted a school in Gaza City that was being used to house displaced civilians.According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the overall death toll from the war has surpassed 57,000, including 223 people declared dead after being reported missing. While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants, it stated that more than half of the fatalities are women and children.The surge in casualties comes as talks continue over a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Former US President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and urged Hamas to accept the deal quickly, warning that conditions were deteriorating. However, Hamas has reiterated that a complete end to the war remains its key demand, casting uncertainty over the prospects for a truce.The Israeli military, meanwhile, has reiterated that it targets Hamas operatives and infrastructure, blaming the militant group for civilian deaths due to its operations within densely populated areas. On Wednesday, Israeli forces said they struck Hamas militants and rocket launchers in northern Gaza, where rockets were launched toward Israel.The conflict began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Since then, much of Gaza’s urban landscape has been reduced to rubble. Over 90 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, many repeatedly, amid worsening humanitarian conditions and widespread hunger.
