Fri Jul 18 08:46:20 UTC 2025: ## Dozens Killed as Israeli Strikes Hit Gaza City, “Safe Zone,” Amidst Humanitarian Crisis
**Gaza City** – At least 30 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn on Friday, according to medical sources, as the region’s health system teeters on the brink of collapse. Strikes hit Gaza City, Jabalia an-Nazla in northern Gaza, and even al-Mawasi, a designated “safe zone” in southern Gaza where displaced Palestinians were sheltering in tents.
The attack on al-Mawasi ignited a major fire, reportedly killing at least five people, including infants. Al Jazeera reports that al-Mawasi has been repeatedly targeted, despite its designation as a safe haven.
The rising death toll includes seven individuals killed while desperately seeking aid, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation exacerbated by Israel’s ongoing blockade.
“Drone missiles are packed with nails, metals and shrapnel that explodes at high speed, causing internal bleeding,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, noting a rise in attacks targeting large crowds. He added that the number of casualties contradicts Israel’s claims of using sophisticated weaponry.
The blockade is forcing doctors in overwhelmed medical facilities to make agonizing decisions about who receives treatment, with chronic illness patients often overlooked. Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is struggling to provide even basic dialysis treatment, with the frequency and length of sessions drastically reduced due to shortages.
“Only a few departments are working. We had to cut electricity to the rest,” said Ziad Abu Humaidan, from the hospital’s engineering department, emphasizing the dire conditions. “The hospital’s yards turned into graveyards rather than a place of care and healing.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports unprecedented numbers of starving people, including children, arriving at emergency departments with extreme exhaustion, fatigue, and malnutrition.
The bombardment and worsening humanitarian crisis have led to growing criticism of Israel. According to an Israeli public opinion survey by Maariv, 44 percent of the Israeli public believe the continued war in Gaza will not achieve the country’s goals.
Recent strikes, including one on Gaza’s only Catholic church that killed three people, have drawn international condemnation. United States President Donald Trump reportedly contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after having “not a positive reaction” to the church strike. Netanyahu attributed the strike to “stray ammunition” and stated that Israel was investigating the incident.
Hamas condemned the attack as “a new crime committed against places of worship and innocent displaced persons” and a part of a “war of extermination against the Palestinian people.”
First Piper 