Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza
Gaza, May 15: On a day deeply etched in Palestinian memory — the 77th anniversary of the Nakba — Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have left more than 74 people dead, many of them women and children, intensifying a humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded over 19 consecutive months of bombardment.
According to local health officials, at least 57 civilians were killed in overnight strikes on Khan Younis, with Nasser Medical Complex overwhelmed by casualties, including numerous children. The attacks struck residential neighborhoods, despite assertions by local residents that there was no militant activity in the vicinity.
“They have been bombing Gaza for 19 months. What’s left? Innocent children are dying,” said Hasan Moqbel, a displaced Palestinian, speaking to Al Jazeera. “Most of the victims are elderly and children. This is a war on civilians.”
The violence also claimed the life of Palestinian journalist Hassan Samour, who was killed alongside several family members when their home in Bani Suheila was struck. Earlier this week, journalist Hassan Aslih succumbed to injuries following an Israeli drone attack on the emergency wing of Nasser Hospital — an incident that has sparked outrage from media watchdogs worldwide.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more than 170 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, marking the region as one of the most perilous zones for the press globally.
The renewed assault has triggered yet another wave of forced displacement. Thousands of families were seen fleeing Gaza City on Thursday, responding to sudden evacuation orders from the Israeli military, even as aid access and safe corridors remain virtually nonexistent.
Meanwhile, international observers and rights organizations have renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire, citing the skyrocketing civilian toll, collapse of medical infrastructure, and escalating attacks on journalists.
The bombardment comes as Palestinians globally observed Nakba Day, marking the mass displacement that followed the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 — a day now tragically mirrored in the continued displacement, death, and despair gripping Gaza