Mounting casualties, humanitarian outcry, and internal dissent mark another deadly day in Israel’s war on Gaza as calls grow for a ceasefire

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Israeli military’s assault on Gaza intensified on Wednesday, killing at least 25 Palestinians in one of the deadliest single-day offensives in recent weeks. Among those killed were Palestinian journalist Fatima Hassouneh and 10 members of her family, as Israeli warplanes targeted their home in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

The attack is part of a wider pattern of strikes across the besieged enclave, further deepening the already dire humanitarian crisis. Since the start of the war in Gaza more than 18 months ago, more than 210 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed, according to media rights organisations. Hassouneh’s death, along with her family, underscores the disproportionate toll on civilians and those documenting the war.

Palestinian Health Ministry reported that in addition to the 25 fatalities on Wednesday, at least 89 injured people were taken to hospitals, many of which are already overwhelmed or operating under extreme conditions. Due to Israeli bombardments and blockade there are chronic shortages of medical supplies.

According to the ministry, a confirmed 51,025 Palestinians have been killed and 116,343 wounded since the beginning of the war in October 2023.

However, the Government Media Office in Gaza puts the death toll even higher—at over 61,700—citing the thousands still missing under rubble presumed dead.

In a strong rebuke, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) issued a statement Wednesday saying that Gaza has become a “mass grave” for Palestinians, accusing Israel of showing “blatant disregard for the safety of humanitarian and medical workers.”

The medical charity cited a series of deadly Israeli attacks over the past three weeks that killed or injured aid and health personnel, further hampering relief efforts in the strip. As humanitarian organisations decry the worsening crisis, political tensions are rising.

A senior Hamas official said any ceasefire agreement under discussion must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza—marking the group’s first public reaction after reportedly reviewing Israel’s latest proposal. However, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in areas captured in Gaza, referring to them as “security zones.”

Katz also made it clear that humanitarian aid would continue to be restricted, with Israel using access to food and supplies as leverage against Hamas.

“No aid will enter Gaza,” he said, sparking condemnation from human rights groups who accuse Israel of collective punishment and weaponizing humanitarian relief.

Hamas loses contact

Meanwhile, the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced it had lost contact with the unit guarding a U.S.-Israeli prisoner, Edan Alexander. He is believed to have been held in an area recently devastated by Israeli air raids.

The news raises concerns about the fate of prisoners still held in Gaza and the difficulty of securing their release amid escalating violence.

At home, Israel is facing increasing internal dissent from its own security and military establishment. More than 200 former Israeli police commissioners and senior security officials published a letter on Wednesday urging the government to halt the war and prioritise the return of Israeli captives.

Among the signatories were eight former heads of the Israel Police and officials from Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who declared their support for a similar appeal released last week by Israeli Air Force reservists.

The letter is part of a growing protest movement, with over a thousand reservists, military veterans, academics and public figures signing statements in recent days calling for an end to the war. The widespread discontent signals a deepening divide within Israeli society over the government’s handling of the conflict.

The war’s political and legal repercussions are also intensifying on the global stage.

Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in the Gaza campaign.

In a parallel legal process, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) continues to hear a genocide case brought against Israel, based on its conduct in the war-ravaged enclave.

As Israel’s military operations expand and international pressure mounts, hopes for a negotiated ceasefire remain fragile. Meanwhile, civilians in Gaza continue to bear the brunt of an unrelenting war that shows no sign of abating.