TOPSHOT - A woman cries while sitting on the rubble of her house, destroyed in an Israeli strike, in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on March 18, 2025. Israel on March 18 unleashed its most intense strikes on the Gaza Strip since a January ceasefire, with rescuers reporting 220 people killed, and Hamas accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of deciding to "resume war" after a deadlock on extending the truce. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP) (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)
By Daisy Okiring
Gaza endured one of its deadliest weekends on September 20 as Israeli forces launched heavy airstrikes on Gaza City and surrounding neighborhoods. At least 60 Palestinians were reported killed, including women and children, with entire families wiped out in attacks. In the Sabra neighborhood, 25 members of a single family died in one strike.
Other bombardments targeted Bureij refugee camp and central Gaza, compounding fears among civilians already displaced multiple times since the conflict began.
Mass displacement
The escalation has forced nearly 300,000 Palestinians to flee Gaza City between August 14 and September 20, many traveling on foot or in overcrowded vehicles. Aid workers described scenes of exhaustion and despair as families crowded into designated “safe zones” in southern Gaza.
Humanitarian conditions remain dire. Power outages, shortages of medical supplies, and communication blackouts have hampered relief efforts.
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Hospitals under threat
The Israeli military on Saturday warned aid groups that only hospitals would be treated as “protected sites” in northern Gaza. On Sunday, forces went further by ordering the evacuation of the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa district, one of the last functioning medical facilities in the area.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its operations targeted tunnels, weapons caches, and “booby-trapped buildings” used by Hamas. Israeli authorities also accused Hamas of firing on UN vehicles delivering aid, further undermining fragile relief corridors.
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Diplomatic developments
As the bombardment continued, momentum for Palestinian statehood gained traction. The UK, Canada, and Australia officially recognized a Palestinian state over the weekend. France and Saudi Arabia announced plans for a world summit aimed at advancing a two-state solution, with discussions expected at the UN General Assembly this week.
Palestinians welcomed the recognition as historic but voiced frustration that symbolic gestures abroad have not alleviated the suffering inside Gaza.
The crisis has entered a new and uncertain phase, with international diplomacy clashing against a worsening humanitarian situation. For families on the ground, survival remains the only priority.
“Recognition doesn’t stop the bombs,” one displaced resident told reporters. “We need safety, not speeches.”
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