A Palestinian father and his daughter were killed in an Israel drone strike in central Khan Younis in southern Gaza early Saturday, as the humanitarian crisis in the territory continued to worsen while global attention remained fixed on the wider US-Israel conflict with Iran. Later the same day, another attack in Khan Younis killed one more person and injured a young girl, according to reports from the ground.
Israeli attacks on Gaza have continued through air strikes, shelling and naval fire, even after the October 11 ceasefire. Local reports said bombardment persisted in several parts of the Strip, including areas near Gaza City and the coastline.
Aid restrictions and border closures deepen suffering
The Rafah crossing remains closed, cutting off a key route for Palestinians seeking to leave Gaza, including patients in urgent need of medical treatment. The crossing had reopened only last month for limited departures, but thousands are still unable to travel for care. Meanwhile, the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known in Israel as Kerem Shalom, is only partially open for humanitarian aid and remains under strict restrictions.
Gaza’s population, most of whom were displaced during the war, remains heavily dependent on outside assistance. Human Rights Watch said in a February report that Israeli restrictions had contributed to shortages of food, water, medicine and reconstruction materials inside the enclave.
Casualties keep rising across Gaza
According to the figures cited in the report, 640 Palestinians have been killed and at least 1,700 wounded since the ceasefire. The broader toll since October 2023 has reached at least 72,123 killed and 171,805 injured, according to Gaza health authorities as cited in the article. Earlier UN and humanitarian reporting also documented a similarly severe casualty trend in Gaza during the conflict.
Violence also spreads across the occupied West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams treated a Palestinian wounded by live fire near the Karmei Tzur settlement north of Hebron. Separate reports said three Palestinians were injured after being assaulted by Israeli settlers in Ras al-Ahmar, south of Tubas. Israeli forces also carried out raids in Qaffin and Kafr al-Labad, north of Tulkarem, while another Palestinian man was reported injured near Azmut, east of Nablus.
The UN has documented heavy violence in the West Bank since October 2023, with more than 1,000 Palestinians reported killed by Israeli forces or settlers over that period in multiple humanitarian updates.
Gaza remains trapped in a broader regional crisis
The latest deaths in Khan Younis underline how the war in Gaza continues to claim civilian lives even as international attention shifts to the expanding regional conflict. With crossings restricted, aid limited and attacks continuing in both Gaza and the West Bank, the pressure on Palestinian civilians remains severe.