Israel intensified its military operations in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, April 5, 2025, expanding ground and air assaults in the northern and southern regions, as the civilian death toll climbed amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. The escalation has drawn sharp criticism from international observers and renewed calls for accountability, with the United Nations and human rights groups accusing Israel of disproportionate force and the United States of enabling the violence through unwavering support.
The Israeli military announced it was seizing “large areas” of Gaza to dismantle Hamas infrastructure, ordering residents to evacuate with little notice. A predawn missile strike near a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) medical center in Jabalia refugee camp killed at least 22 Palestinians, including 16 children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Witnesses described a horrific scene, with one survivor, Ahmed Khalil, telling Al Jazeera, “There were human remains everywhere—bones, flesh, severed limbs. I saw my neighbor’s child torn apart.”
The ministry reported 77 Palestinians killed across Gaza in the past 24 hours, pushing the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to over 43,000, with more than half being women and children. Israel’s military claimed the strikes targeted “terror assets,” but provided no evidence to substantiate the presence of combatants in the vicinity of the medical center.
The latest offensive follows a pattern of forced displacement, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimating that two-thirds of Gaza is now off-limits to civilians. “This is not a military operation; it’s a systematic uprooting of a population,” said Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, in a statement to Reuters. “Israel’s actions are choking off any hope of survival for Gaza’s people.”
Critics argue that Israel’s tactics—indiscriminate bombings, blockades on food and medical aid, and mass evacuation orders—violate international humanitarian law. Amnesty International’s December 2024 report concluded that Israel’s conduct in Gaza constitutes genocide, citing “deliberate intent to destroy Palestinians” through widespread destruction and starvation. Israeli officials have dismissed such claims.
The United States, Israel’s primary ally, has faced mounting condemnation for its role. former President Joe Biden’s administration approved $12.5 billion in military aid to Israel since October 2023, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, while offering only $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. “The US is complicit in this carnage,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in a speech on Capitol Hill on April 3. Our tax dollars are funding bombs that kill children, and our leaders refuse to demand a ceasefire.
In Gaza, the human cost is staggering. Over 1.9 million Palestinians—90% of the population—have been displaced, many living in squalid tent camps with limited access to clean water or sanitation. The World Health Organization warned on April 5 that famine is imminent, with 93% of Gazans facing acute hunger. “We are starving while the world watches,” said Fatima al-Najjar, a mother of four in Rafah, speaking to Media. “My children cry for bread, but there is none.”
Israel’s blockade, tightened since October 2023, has crippled aid delivery. On April 1, Israeli forces killed 15 Palestinian paramedics in a convoy, an act the UN called a “war crime.” The Guardian reported that the victims were buried in a mass grave, with one survivor alleging they were shot “one by one.” Israel’s military said the convoy posed a threat.
The international community has struggled to respond. The UN General Assembly’s September 2024 resolution demanded Israel end its occupation within 12 months, a deadline it has ignored. Human Rights Watch, in a November 2024 report, accused Israel of “forced displacement” as a crime against humanity, urging the International Criminal Court to investigate. Yet, US veto power at the UN Security Council has blocked binding resolutions.
Israel’s actions deserve unequivocal condemnation. The relentless bombing of civilian areas, destruction of hospitals, and starvation tactics reflect a callous disregard for life that cannot be justified as self-defense. Equally indefensible is the US refusal to leverage its influence to halt the violence, instead providing diplomatic cover and weaponry that fuel the bloodshed. Both nations must be held accountable for a war that has turned Gaza into a graveyard for thousands of innocents.
As the conflict enters its 18th month, the toll on civilians—43,000 dead, 100,000 injured, and millions displaced—stands as a grim testament to the failure of global leadership. “This is not a war; it’s an annihilation,” said Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian physician who has worked in Gaza, in an interview with Al Jazeera on April 5. “History will judge those who stood by and did nothing.”
