Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have intensified, resulting in over 100 fatalities within a single day, emphasizing the devastating impact on the civilian population. These strikes included over 130 target hits in two days, highlighting Israel's ongoing military pressure on Hamas following the release of U.S. hostage Edan Alexander. This surge in violence comes amid a broader context of a 19-month conflict, which has already displaced 90% of Gaza's population and led to more than 53,000 deaths, primarily among women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
"The last two days have seen continuous bombardment from the air and artillery," said Mustafa al-Sayyed, 46. He said he fled his already damaged home in Gaza City this week after the Israeli military issued new displacement orders for the central district of Rimal. "It increases in some areas and decreases in others," he said of the strikes. "But the common thing: The bombs never stop completely."
Israeli officials celebrated Alexander's release but emphasized the "military pressure" they had put on Hamas as key to the deal.
The Israeli response has leveled much of Gaza, displaced 90 percent of the population and killed more than 53,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of the dead are women and children.
The Israeli military said Thursday that it had struck over 130 "terror targets" in Gaza over the past two days, including on Wednesday, when the Gaza Health Ministry said at least 70 people were killed.
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