54 Killed in Overnight Airstrikes on Khan Younis, Gaza Hospital Reports

Khan Younis, Gaza Strip: At least 54 people were killed in a series of overnight Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, according to hospital officials. This marks the second consecutive night of intense bombardment across the territory.
An Associated Press cameraman on the ground counted at least 10 airstrikes during the night. Bodies, some in pieces and placed in shared body bags, were taken to the morgue at Nasser Hospital, which confirmed the death toll. Among the dead was journalist Hasan Samour of Qatari television network Al Araby TV, who was killed along with 11 members of his family, the network confirmed on social media.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the latest strikes. These attacks follow Wednesday's bombardments in northern and southern Gaza, which killed at least 70 people, including nearly two dozen children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to intensify the military campaign, stating earlier this week that Israeli forces are “days away from entering Gaza with great strength” to fulfill his goal of destroying Hamas.
International human rights organisations have raised alarms over the escalating violence. Human Rights Watch said Thursday that Israel’s stated intent to seize Gaza and displace large portions of its population "inches closer to extermination." The group urged international action, warning that the current trajectory could breach the Genocide Convention.
The war, now in its eighth month, began when Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people during an Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has since killed nearly 53,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but reports nearly 3,000 deaths since Israel resumed operations following the breakdown of a ceasefire on March 18.
Hamas continues to hold 58 of the roughly 250 hostages taken during its October attack. Israeli authorities believe 23 of them are still alive, though they have expressed concern about the fate of three.The ongoing campaign has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, displaced 90% of the population—often repeatedly—and led to a complete halt of humanitarian aid since March 2. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, nearly half a million Palestinians are on the brink of starvation, with another one million barely able to access sufficient food.