Over 500 Palestinian Children Killed in Gaza as Israeli Air Raids Intensify Post-Truce Collapse

Since the ceasefire collapse on March 18, 2025, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed over 1,500 Palestinians, including at least 500 children, according to the Gaza Civil Defence and Palestinian Ministry of Health. The UN confirmed that many strikes resulted in casualties of only women and children. The Israeli military's expanded offensive has targeted residential areas and 'safe zones,' causing significant civilian casualties. The humanitarian crisis worsens with severe shortages of basic necessities and medical supplies, while international concern grows over the scale of civilian casualties and potential forcible transfers.

Ceasefire Collapse and Rising Civilian Toll

The truce between Israel and Hamas, which had held for two months, broke down on March 18, 2025. Since then, the Israeli military has resumed its bombardment of Gaza, targeting what it describes as “terror infrastructure.” However, the humanitarian toll has been staggering. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that at least 1,563 people have been killed since the resumption of hostilities, bringing the total death toll in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to over 50,933, with more than 115,981 wounded.

Among the dead are at least 500 children, according to Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defence. This figure marks the highest one-week child death toll in Gaza in the past year. The United Nations has described the situation as “post-apocalyptic,” with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warning that Gaza has become a “killing zone.”

Airstrikes on Residential Areas and “Safe Zones”

The UN Human Rights Office has documented 224 Israeli strikes on residential buildings and displacement shelters between March 18 and April 9. Of these, 36 strikes resulted in fatalities consisting only of women and children. These attacks have occurred even in areas designated by Israel as “safe zones,” such as al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.

On Saturday, April 12, Israeli air raids killed at least six people, including a child, in various parts of Gaza. Two people were killed and two children injured in the Tuffah neighborhood, while two others died in the al-Atatra district of Beit Lahiya. Another person was killed in a drone strike in Qizan an-Najjar, south of Khan Younis. Several casualties were also reported following strikes on tent shelters in al-Mawasi.

In one particularly harrowing incident, a newborn named Sham died after suffering critical injuries in an airstrike that hit her family. Her arm was amputated, and she succumbed to her wounds hours later at Al-Ahli Hospital in Deir el-Balah.

Families Wiped Out, Children Targeted

The pattern of strikes has led to entire families being killed. On Friday, April 11, a family of 10 was killed in southern Gaza, according to local civil defense teams. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident and claimed to have targeted 40 “terror sites” across the territory that day.

The UN has raised alarm over the nature of these attacks. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, confirmed that many of the recent strikes have killed only women and children. The Palestinian rights group Al-Haq stated that this pattern suggests a “calculated effort to exterminate women, boys, girls, and even infants.”

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate rapidly. UNRWA reports that about 400,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced since the ceasefire ended. Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, approximately 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced.

Access to basic necessities has been severely restricted. According to an open letter from humanitarian organizations, no commercial or humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza for over a month. Food, medicine, fuel, and shelter supplies are stuck at crossing points, while 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme have shut down due to shortages of flour and cooking gas.

Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for UNRWA, warned that all basic supplies are running out. “It means babies, children are going to bed hungry,” she said.

Hospitals Overwhelmed, Medical Supplies Depleted

Hospitals across Gaza are overwhelmed and running out of fuel and medical supplies. The World Health Organization previously warned that hospitals in southern Gaza had only days of fuel left. The seizure of the Rafah crossing by Israeli forces has further restricted access to medical care, with reports of wounded children being denied treatment due to lack of resources.

In one case, an eight-year-old girl wounded in an Israeli attack was unable to receive treatment after the Rafah crossing was closed, according to Al Jazeera.

Forced Evacuations and Shrinking Safe Zones

The Israeli military has issued multiple evacuation orders in recent days, including in Shujayea and Khan Younis. However, with most of Gaza already devastated and overcrowded, civilians have nowhere safe to go. Many displaced families are now living in cemeteries, as reported by AFP.

“We couldn’t find any place to live ... That’s why we were forced to sit on top of graves,” said Ibtisam Abu Ghanima, a displaced resident in Gaza City. “The dead have become better off than the living.”

International Response and Warnings

The international community has expressed growing concern over the scale of civilian casualties. The UN has warned that the Israeli offensive risks the “forcible transfer” of Palestinians into increasingly smaller areas, raising questions about the future viability of the population in Gaza.

Save the Children reported that 66 people, including children, were killed in designated “safe zones” over a four-day period in May 2024. The organization and other humanitarian groups have called for immediate action to prevent further loss of life.

Despite mounting international pressure, Israeli officials have pledged to continue the military campaign, with plans to seize additional territory in southern Gaza.

Over 500 Palestinian Children Killed in Gaza as Israeli Air Raids Intensify Post-Truce Collapse

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