On Wednesday, a new wave of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip left at least seven Palestinians dead and at least 35 more injured, shattering the nominal ceasefire that has been in place since October. The Nasser Medical Complex confirmed that among the casualties was an elderly Palestinian woman, who was shot by Israeli forces west of the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Since the ceasefire agreement took effect last year, Gazan Palestinians have endured near-constant Israeli military incursions and attacks, despite the fact that Hamas and other major Palestinian political and military factions have not launched any large-scale offensive operations against Israeli targets. In the period following the ceasefire, Israel has seized control of the majority of Palestinian-held territory in Gaza, now occupying more than 60 percent of the small enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly stated the government’s goal to expand this occupied area to roughly 70 percent of Gaza.
The human cost of Israel’s post-ceasefire military campaign has been staggering. Official data confirms that at least 1,408 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,916 injured in Gaza since October 11, 2025. Since the large-scale conflict began on October 7, 2023, the cumulative death toll has climbed to nearly 74,000 Palestinians killed, with close to 175,000 more wounded. Humanitarian organizations and local monitors widely agree that the actual number of fatalities is significantly higher than reported, as thousands of bodies remain trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.
In recent weeks, senior Israeli officials have explicitly outlined plans that many international observers characterize as ethnic cleansing, aimed at forcing the entire Palestinian population out of Gaza. Earlier this month, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared at a conference hosted by Israeli media outlet Ynet in partnership with the Israel Democracy Institute that Palestinians would be forced to leave Gaza. When speaking to journalist Moran Azoulay, Katz stated plainly, “There is no real solution for Gaza in the end without migration.”
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) on September 23, 2026, independent news outlet Middle East Eye, which has a long track record of on-the-ground coverage from the region, weighed in on the ongoing crisis. The outlet noted: “We continue to condemn Hamas, and we stand with Israel in the face of the ongoing threats, including from Iran, against Israel and Jewish people around the world. But this does not justify the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza or the West Bank.” Middle East Eye provides independent, in-depth coverage of developments across the Middle East, North Africa, and surrounding regions, with ongoing reporting on the humanitarian and political crisis unfolding in Gaza.