At least 32 people, including 12 children, were killed in overnight strikes on Gaza City, as Israel escalated its offensive and urged Palestinians to evacuate south.
The UN warns that forced displacement is worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands still trapped amid famine, overcrowding, and lack of shelter.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill 32 in Gaza City as Evacuation Orders Intensify
Families of the remaining 48 hostages in Gaza — around 20 of whom are believed to be alive — have pleaded with Israel to pause the offensive, fearing for their relatives’ safety.
Summary
At least 32 people were killed across Gaza City on Saturday (September 13, 2025) after a wave of Israeli airstrikes, medical staff reported. Among the victims were 12 children, according to Shifa Hospital’s morgue.
The strikes hit multiple locations, including the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, where a house sheltering a family of 10 was destroyed, killing a mother and her three children. Images from the scene showed heavy plumes of smoke rising after the bombardment. Israel’s army did not immediately respond to questions about the attacks.
In recent days, Israel has stepped up its offensive in Gaza City, demolishing high-rise buildings it accuses Hamas of using for surveillance, and urging residents to evacuate. The military has called the push part of its effort to capture Gaza’s largest city, described as Hamas’s last stronghold. Hundreds of thousands remain trapped, many already facing famine and displacement.
On Saturday, army spokesman Avichay Adraee urged civilians to leave “immediately” for a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza. He claimed more than 250,000 people had fled from an estimated population of one million in northern Gaza.
The United Nations, however, put the figure closer to 100,000 between mid-August and mid-September, warning that overcrowded shelters and the cost of transport are preventing many families from leaving.
A UN initiative to bring temporary shelters into Gaza has stalled, with more than 86,000 tents and supplies still awaiting clearance. Gaza’s Health Ministry said that malnutrition continues to claim lives, reporting seven deaths, including children, in the past 24 hours, raising the overall toll to 420 since the war began.
The escalation follows Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar earlier in the week, a move that threatens to derail ongoing negotiations. Families of the remaining 48 hostages in Gaza — around 20 of whom are believed to be alive — have pleaded with Israel to pause the offensive, fearing for their relatives’ safety.
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Meanwhile, at the diplomatic level, India voted on Friday in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution endorsing the ‘New York Declaration,’ which calls for a two-state solution and a halt to Israeli settlement expansion and annexation plans in occupied territories. The resolution, introduced by France, received overwhelming backing with 142 votes in favour, 10 against, and 12 abstentions, marking a renewed international push for peace.
(with inputs from AP)
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