April 2, 2025 | Lucknow, India – Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza, with reports of two strikes in the southern part of Gaza City. While details on casualties remain unclear, medical sources told Al Jazeera that at least 21 Palestinians have been killed since dawn due to Israeli military actions.
Israeli authorities have banned Al Jazeera from operating within Israel, restricting its reporting on the conflict. Meanwhile, Palestinian news agency Wafa has documented ongoing Israeli security operations in the occupied West Bank. On Wednesday morning, Israeli forces reportedly shot and killed a 33-year-old man in Nablus, while another Palestinian was injured after being struck by an Israeli military vehicle. Additional reports indicate that seven individuals were detained in Hebron, with further arrests occurring in Tulkarm and the Nour Shams refugee camp.
Hostage Crisis and Military Strategy
Amid the escalating conflict, the Hostages Families Forum, an organization representing the relatives of those abducted by Hamas, issued a scathing statement questioning the Israeli government’s priorities. "Did you decide that we are sacrificing hostages for capturing land? Instead of securing their release and ending the war, the government is redeploying forces to the same battlegrounds," the statement read.
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas still holds 59 hostages from its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, though not all are believed to be alive. The families have accused the government of deprioritizing hostage recovery efforts, demanding clarity on how ongoing military operations align with efforts to secure their release.
Israel Expands Security Zones in Gaza
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced an expansion of military operations in Gaza, with plans to seize "large areas" of Palestinian territory. This follows recent statements indicating the Israeli military would soon escalate its operations against Hamas.
The renewed hostilities began on March 18, when Israel resumed intensive airstrikes on Gaza and launched a fresh ground offensive, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire. The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack, has led to significant casualties. According to an AFP tally based on Israeli government data, the attack killed 1,218 people in Israel. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign has resulted in over 50,357 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with civilians making up the majority of the casualties.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The conflict has triggered another wave of mass displacement. Since the ceasefire ended, more than 140,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, with UN agencies estimating tens of thousands more have fled in the past week. With fuel shortages exacerbating the crisis, families are struggling to find food, water, and shelter.
Ihab Suliman, a former university professor, described the dire situation: "There is no longer any taste to life. Life and death have become one and the same for us." Suliman, who has fled his home eight times in the past 18 months, is among the many Palestinians forced to move yet again due to Israeli evacuation orders.
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