10% of Gaza’s Population Now Dead or Wounded as Burial Sites Run Out

Watan-Ten civilians were killed and others injured when Israeli warplanes bombed a food distribution warehouse in the Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City. Victims were transported to Al-Baptist Hospital after massive efforts by local residents and emergency teams.

Witnesses reported that civilians were lining up for scarce aid when a sudden missile struck, scattering bodies and blood across the site and destroying large quantities of food intended for desperate families.

Eyewitnesses described the strike as deliberate, part of a pattern targeting independent aid centers, while sparing only those operated by “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” in cooperation with a U.S. firm. Notably, over 550 civilians have been killed near these U.S.-linked centers.

The General Commission for Tribal Affairs condemned the massacre, calling it a continuation of Israel’s policy of starvation and the transformation of relief sites into death traps, while affirming that “such policies will not break Gaza’s resilience.”

Gaza Beach Massacre and Press Under Attack

In another massacre, 24 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a beach resort west of Gaza City. Dozens were injured, some critically, and taken to Al-Shifa Hospital.

The Government Media Office confirmed the death of journalist Ismail Abu Hatab, bringing the number of journalists killed since the war began to 228. Photojournalist Bayan Abu Sultan was also injured in the same strike. Abu Hatab had documented Gaza’s destruction through international exhibitions.

The office condemned the deliberate targeting of media crews and urged international press institutions to take urgent action to hold Israel accountable.

Other Attacks Across Gaza

• Aml Al-Harazin, a civilian woman, was killed by a drone strike in Zaytoun.

• The remains of a martyr from the Bardawil family, missing for over 18 months, were found in the Baydar area near the “Netzarim Axis.”

• Three civilians were killed and others wounded in a strike near Al-Shaheed Square in Al-Shati Refugee Camp.

• In Shuja’iyya, Israeli jets bombed the open-air market and residential buildings, as well as Al-Shawa Square in Tuffah neighborhood.

• Three more civilians were killed when a school sheltering displaced families in Zaytoun was targeted.

Northern Gaza: More Shelling, More Displacement

Artillery fire heavily struck Shuja’iyya, Tuffah, and areas around ground incursion zones. Four people were killed near Halawa Square in Jabalia, while powerful explosions rocked Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Jabalia, and surrounding refugee camps.

Thousands fled northern Gaza on foot or in carts under the scorching sun, seeking refuge in already-overcrowded areas. Many were seen erecting tents on sidewalks, as fear and exhaustion set in.

Airstrikes in Gaza City intensified overnight, forcing hundreds of families to flee in darkness.

Central and Southern Gaza Attacks

In central Gaza:

• One civilian was killed near the Netzarim Axis.

• Northern parts of Nuseirat and Bureij were bombed.

• A drone dropped a bomb near Yafa Hospital.

• Another airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced people inside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital—a clear violation of international law.

In Khan Younis:

• 13 civilians, including three from the Abu Mustafa family, were killed while waiting for food aid.

• Airstrikes hit tents in Al-Atar, Sheikh Nasser, and Bani Suheila.

• Shelling continued in eastern Khan Younis, reportedly flattening several buildings.

In Rafah, one civilian was killed near a U.S. aid distribution center in the Shaakoush area.

Grave Crisis: Cemeteries Overflowing

UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna warned that the Israeli-backed aid distribution system “has failed completely,” calling it unfit for humanitarian relief. He added:“The number of martyrs and wounded equals 10% of Gaza’s population—or more. What is happening surpasses catastrophe. A new term is needed.”

Nasser Hospital’s morgue announced that burial plots have run out, deepening the humanitarian emergency.

Global Warnings and Religious Appeals

The World Health Organization said its latest medical shipment offers “only minimal relief,” warning that civilians are being killed while searching for food.

The Presidential Committee for Church Affairs sent a letter to church leaders worldwide, urging them to publicly condemn Israeli crimes, oppose support for the occupation, and demand accountability in line with Christian and international values.“Silence and inaction,” the letter warned, “only serve to empower the oppressor and ensure impunity.”